Mr. Niall Egan:

In the Department we are undergoing a huge transformation in respect of the one-parent family payment. As a few speakers have stated, one of the main issues is that many lone parents will lose their entitlement to the one-parent family payment because the age threshold for entitlement reduced last July and is to be reduced this coming July and July of next year. Owing to the way the legislation is drafted, the vast bulk of people who will be affected this year will lose their entitlement on a single day, 3 July 2014. We have put in place a very streamlined process. We have written to all affected one-parent family payment recipients inviting them to an information session to talk them through their various options. This group needs a lot of help because many of those concerned may never have gone to a social welfare office in the past. It is a question of making them aware of all the available supports, including family income supplement, the carer's allowance, disability allowance and jobseeker's allowance, and explaining the jobseeker's transitional arrangement, which is a special arrangement specifically for lone parents making the transition. Part of the process involves a streamlined application. Therefore, I am very surprised to hear the Senator’s remarks.