Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 January 2022
119. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 1759 of 19 January 2021, if he will account for the drop-off of recipients between 2014 and 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3812/22]
View answerThe figures to which the Deputy refers indicate that the number of recipients of One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) in County Clare reduced from 1,175 in 2014 to 646 in 2015. This is not surprising given the changes to the eligibility rules for OFP and the introduction of the Jobseeker’s Transition Payment (JST) during that period.
Budget 2012 included a number of significant reforms to the OFP scheme. In particular, the age of children in respect of whom a person could qualify for OFP was reduced. Originally, a person could receive OFP until their youngest child was aged 18 years or 22 if they remained in full-time education. The reduction in the age threshold of the youngest child was implemented on a phased basis during the period 2013 to 2015. Once the reforms were fully implemented a lone parent’s entitlement to OFP would continue until their youngest child’s 7th birthday (subject to continuing to satisfy the other qualifying conditions).
The Jobseekers’ Transitional Payment was introduced to provide income support for lone parents with older children. It can be paid until the youngest child’s 14th birthday. These changes mean that lone parents whose youngest child was age 7 or over, but under age 14 would have moved from OFP to JST during the period in question.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
