Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

This directs available resources towards the families at the lower end, which is what the Deputy indicated he wanted to do. Where there is a spouse or partner who is not earning or is on low earnings, below €400, the conditions relating to the qualified child increase are not affected and the payment continues. This measure facilitates the introduction of a single social systems payment for people of a working age by aligning the arrangements for the specified schemes with current arrangements for illness benefit, injury benefit and jobseeker's benefit.

I think Deputy Ó Cuív may be under a misapprehension. This will just apply to new claimants.

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