Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue and affording me an opportunity, on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, to provide the Dáil with a response.

The jobseeker's allowance, JA, transitional arrangement was introduced in June 2013 in order to support lone parents with young children affected by the age reforms. Customers who have a youngest child aged under 14 years, and who continue to parent alone, are entitled to the jobseeker's allowance transitional arrangement. These customers are exempt from the jobseeker's allowance conditions that require them to be available for, and genuinely seeking, full-time employment. They can work part-time without restrictions - for example, mornings only - and still receive the jobseeker's allowance transitional payment, subject to a means test. They also have access to the Department's Intreo services and to related supports to enable them to become job-ready and-or to find employment.

The jobseeker's allowance transitional arrangement allows this cohort of customers to balance their caring responsibilities and significantly reduces their requirement for child care. The exemptions from the full jobseeker's allowance conditions remain in place until their youngest child reaches 14 years of age, at which point, should they continue to claim the jobseeker's allowance payment, they will be subjected to the full jobseeker's allowance conditions - be unemployed for at least four days in seven, and be available for and genuine seeking full-time employment.

The main barrier to employment for lone parents is access to affordable child care. The JA transitional arrangement takes account of the specific caring responsibilities of these individuals by permitting them to remain at home and to take care of their children, while at the same time also enabling them to work part-time without restrictions - for example, during mornings when their children are at school - subject to a means test. This effectively reduces their child care requirements and offers support to lone parents to remain attached to the labour market, thereby allowing them to maintain their skill levels and improve their chances of eventually moving into full-time employment.

For customers who are in part-time employment of less than 19 hours per week, if they can increase their working hours to a minimum of 19 hours per week, they can apply for the family income supplement, FIS. Once eligible for the FIS payment, they will also become entitled to the recently introduced back to work family dividend. This is the best option financially for these customers. The dividend allows customers to retain the child proportion of their welfare payment, which equals €29.80 per week per child, up to a maximum of €119.20 per week for four children, for two years, with full payment entitlement in the first year totalling €1,550 per child and a 50% entitlement in the second year totalling €775 per child. The dividend thus incentivises customers to move into employment or self-employment.

For customers working part-time whose youngest child is 14 or over they can claim JA subject to full conditionality. If a customer is working more than three days a week and under 19 hours per week, they will not meet the scheme rules for either JA or FIS. The following options are open to them, to increase their hours to a minimum of 19 hours a week to claim FIS; or re-arrange their working hours over three days per week.

If customers are unable to meet either the JA or FIS scheme rules, and if they continue to have an income support need, they may have recourse to the supplementary welfare allowance, SWA, scheme. The Department of Social Protection is actively engaging with lone parents who are affected by the ongoing reforms to the OFP. This means that lone parents who are on a jobseeker's payment can access the full range of employment, educational and training supports available to improve their skillset and move towards sustainable employment.

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