Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 September 2018
218. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the threshold for one-parent family payment and jobseeker's transition payment to an increased limit of €500 per week with a €50 increase for each additional child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39311/18]
View answerIn the case of One Parent Family payment (OFP), the earnings data necessary to enable a reliable calculation is not available to the Department, as claimants with earnings above the €425 threshold will have exited the scheme and the Department will have no sight of their numbers or earnings.
Insofar as the jobseekers transitional (JST) payment is concerned there is no specific "earnings threshold" in place. The allowance ceases to be paid when the means (as assessed by the Department) exceeds the payment amount for the individual, which is in turn based on the personal rate plus the relevant number of child dependant increases payable for the particular claimant.
