Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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97. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number and percentage of lone parents in receipt of the working family payment from the beginning of 2018 until the end of 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46363/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income support for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them.

The table below outlines the number and percentage of one parent households in receipt of Working Family Payment from December 2018 to December 2022 inclusive:

Corresponding figures for December 2017 are not readily available.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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98. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of additional needs payments made, where a family requested such a payment to cover the costs of a therapy or service required as an urgent need, by county, from 1 January 2023, in tabular form. [46386/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department can make additional needs payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. Payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme, taking into account the requirements of the legislation, and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.

In general, additional needs payments are not intended to cover circumstances where responsibility rests with another Government Department or Agency. The provision of therapy services is a matter for the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health. While statistics are maintained on the number of payments made under the Additional Needs Payment scheme, it is not possible to identify payments made to persons requesting assistance with such services.

Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.