Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As the one-parent family payment reforms have been rolled out, I have introduced some significant changes to assist people, mainly women, through the transition. First, the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance transitional arrangement gives lone parents with young children the flexibility to work part time or engage in full-time education. Second, access to subsidised child care is available through the after-school child care scheme and the community employment child care programme. We would prefer if it were more extensive, but it is significant and developing. As I announced on Tuesday, lone parents can retain entitlement to the one-parent family payment and receive the half-rate carer's allowance until their youngest child reaches 16 years of age. These are significant supports.

Unlike other jobseekers, persons in receipt of the transitional jobseeker's allowance can also avail of full-time education. As such, these customers can receive the maintenance portion of the SUSI grant. There has been this flexibility since the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance transitional arrangements in June 2013. Lone parent payment recipients participating in training or education programmes can move to the back to education allowance scheme when their entitlement to the lone parent payment ceases. However, I realise this can result in a financial loss if these customers are in receipt of a SUSI grant.

The eligibility rules governing the payment of the student maintenance grant are a matter for the Department of Education and Skills, as the Deputy will appreciate. However, I am mindful that the principal aim of the lone parent scheme reforms is to support customers who are in education. For that reason, as I said to Deputy Willie O'Dea, I have asked my officials to meet officials from the Department of Education and Skills to discuss the matter. I expect the discussions to conclude shortly.

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