One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018

Tuesday, 24 July 2018

Ceisteanna (2516)

Eoin Ó Broin

Ceist:

2516. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 530 of 20 February 2018, if she will request her departmental officials to examine the issue of foster parents accessing the one parent family payment in advance of budget 2019 with a view to amending the legislation to include single foster parents in the list of eligible households for the purposes of claiming the payment. [33629/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection

As stated in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 530 in this matter, to be a qualified parent for the purposes of the one-parent family payment the applicant must be legally defined as either the parent or guardian of the relevant child. A foster carer is not the legal parent or guardian of the foster child and as such is not a qualified parent in this context.

The provision of fostering services, and the appropriate supports, including financial supports, that are required by either the foster carers or the foster child is a matter for Tusla (the Child and Family Agency). A specific weekly payment is payable to foster carers by Tusla. Any changes to eligibility for the qualified parent for the purposes of determining eligibility for one-parent family payment would have to be considered in the overall budgetary context.