Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2006
125 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he has intentions of abolishing the limitation rule which applies when two adults have eligibility for social assistance in their own right. [23004/06]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhere both members of a couple are claiming social welfare payments and one or both of the claimants is in receipt of unemployment assistance, farm assist or pre-retirement allowance their combined payments cannot exceed the amount which would be payable if only one person was being paid with an increase for a qualified adult dependant, where appropriate. In this situation one or both of the payments would be limited to ensure that the relevant household rate of payment would not be exceeded.
My department has recently published a Government discussion paper: Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents. Under these proposals for reform of income support arrangements for lone parents and low income families, a new parental allowance for all low income families with children under a specified age would replace both the current one-parent family payment and the qualified adult allowance in social assistance. In these circumstances no limitation would apply where a parental allowance recipient cohabits with a person in receipt of a social assistance payment, e.g. unemployment assistance.
Lifting limitation for this limited period of time would have the effect of increasing household income in such situations by up to €58 per week, recognising the higher costs associated with care of young children. It would also assist in addressing the problem of poverty among children in low income families. Any proposal to abolish the limitation rule in full could only be considered in a budgetary context and in the light of competing priorities.
