Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 7 Mar 2002

Vol. 550 No. 2

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

417 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will consider amending the anomaly whereby up to ?95 per week is discounted in the means-test for one parent allowance; if there is a maintenance payment being made whereas, if a single parent does not have the benefit of a maintenance payment, no concession is made for commitments on rent or mortgage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7655/02]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern):

The means test for the one-parent family payment is designed to encourage those in receipt of the payment to maximise their income from all sources, including employment and maintenance payments.

In relation to employment lone parents may earn up to €146.50 per week without affecting their payment with earnings over this limit counted at 50% up to a maximum of €293.02 per week. The earnings disregard is designed to recognise the particular difficulties and expenses which a lone parent may face in taking up employment and training opportunities and to encourage them to consider employment as an alternative to long-term welfare dependency.

With regard to maintenance, the objective is to encourage lone parents to pursue the question of payments with the other parent and to ensure that the other parent has an incentive to contribute. This is achieved by ensuring that there is a clear benefit to lone parents and their children arising from any maintenance payments secured. When the scheme was introduced in 1997 up to €95 of maintenance paid in respect of housing costs was disregarded. However, arising from the review of the one-parent family payment, published in 2000, further concessions were intro duced which provide for up to 50% of maintenance received to be disregarded.

The allowances for maintenance payments made in the means test are intended to support the particular policy objectives outlined. Making a general allowance in the means test for rent or mortgage payments would not be in keeping with this policy.

Those who have difficulty with housing costs are, of course, eligible to apply for rent supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.