Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate what the Minister is telling us but there are anomalies in everything. It seems the unique position of single parents is being ignored here. A mother who has dependants and wants to further her education for the benefit of her children is being prevented from doing so by criteria that were not designed for people in her situation. For a representative of the Department of Social Protection to advise people in her position to give up their education if they want to maintain their supports is outrageous and it needs to be addressed.

This constituent is packing her master’s course into one year. It is due to end in August but the two arms of the State which matter here, social protection and higher education, are preventing her from doing this. There is no back to education allowance or jobseeker's payment available to her and under the SUSI payment, she receives the adjacent rate for the sake of 500 m. She is well aware that she will never own her own home and will have to rent for life but the demands of the system will make this as difficult as possible on her. We hear constantly of the need for a skilled workforce, yet lone parents are being treated in this disgraceful way.

My constituent has appealed the decision to withdraw the jobseeker’s allowance but was told by the Minister’s office that she had not raised any contentions in her appeal to warrant a change in direction. For her and her family, and other families out there, and especially given that she is looking after her child on her own, I urge the Minister to address this issue and examine the anomalies.

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