Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 and 35 together.

Research on activation measures for lone parents was commissioned at the request of my Department through the Irish Research Council, IRC, in 2014. The theme suggested by my Department was how best to engage and support lone parents from an activation perspective. The IRC sought expressions of interest from relevant academics to carry out independent research on this theme. Following the IRC tender process, a proposal put forward by Dr. Michelle Millar of NUI Galway was successful. The topic of Dr. Millar’s research is Lone Parents and Activation, What Works and Why: A Review of the International Evidence in the Irish Context. It is not an impact assessment of the reforms to the one-parent family payment and is not intended to be. The aim of this research is to identify best practice and innovation for activation, nationally and internationally, that creates good outcomes for lone parents. The report was tasked with recommending responsive and appropriate measures in the Irish context.

There has been ongoing engagement between my officials and Dr. Millar on her research. The first draft report was shared by Dr. Millar in September 2015. A second draft was forwarded earlier this year and I understand that there was an initial delay in responding because of staff changes within the Department. My officials will shortly provide feedback to Dr. Millar on the latest draft. Research shows that being at work reduces the at risk of poverty rate for lone parents by three quarters compared with those who do not work. The reforms to the one-parent family payment were introduced to reduce long-term social welfare dependency and enhance access to the Department’s Intreo service to lone parents, which is essential in facilitating their progression into employment. The Department will work with Dr. Millar on this research, including future publications by her. It is intended that this research will inform how best to engage with lone parents and the future design of education, training and employment support programmes aimed specifically at improving outcomes for lone parents and one-parent families.

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