Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I would like to put on the record of the House that much of the discussion by the Opposition around the lone parent and carers issues is confusing people. I will explain to Members what a single parent with a special needs child receives from the Department by way of income support, which with a special needs child such parent would, of course, need. A single parent of a special needs child is entitled to €188 per week plus €30 for the child. In addition, he or she receives a half rate carer's allowance. As such, a parent with one child, who is a special needs child, would receive a weekly social welfare payment of €319.80. This is important in the context of the policy debate we are having. The €319.80 payment is made up of a one-parent family payment of €188, a child payment of €29.80 per week and a half rate carer's allowance of €102 per week or €309.50 per month.

As I have stated previously, I have protected primary weekly payments. When in government, Fianna Fáil cut the lone parent payment by more than €16 per week. I want to put what is being discussed here in context. A single parent with one child, who is a special needs child, receives-----

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