Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

2. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to the fact that one of the consequences of her plans to lower the cut-off age for the one-parent family payment is that lone parents in full-time education will lose the maintenance portion of their Student Universal Support Ireland grant once their youngest child turns seven years old; if she has discussed this with the Department of Education and Skills; if she will suspend the planned lowering of the cut-off age for the payment in July 2015 until this issue is addressed and a system of affordable, accessible child care, something she had promised would be in place in advance of the cuts to the payment is in place. [9400/15]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This question relates to the lone parents who will be affected by the changes on 2 July. They will no longer be able to receive the maintenance portion of the SUSI grant. Has the Tánaiste held discussions on the matter and, if so, will she enlighten the Dáil about them?

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | 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.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am unsure when the Tánaiste asked the officials to meet. It has been acknowledged for several months that this is potentially one of the effects of the Tánaiste's plan to change the one-parent family payments in July. Obviously, the qualification criteria for SUSI were drawn up with the current one-parent family payments in view. Will the Tánaiste confirm that the changes required will be brought forward before the conclusion of the debate on the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, as appropriate? If that is not possible, will she ensure a decision on the matter will be taken as quickly as possible prior to 2 July? Lone parents are making plans for their future and may lose the payment. Whether they are already in college or planning to go, they need to work out whether they will be able to afford to do so.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy is probably aware, in budget 2010 the previous Government amended the eligibility criteria for receipt of the student maintenance grant for individuals in receipt of either the back to education allowance or the vocational training opportunities scheme allowances. As a result of that amendment, individuals who were in receipt of the back to education allowance for all schemes or the VTOS allowances for a post-leaving certificate course, for example, became ineligible for receipt of the student maintenance grant. However, the student service charge, as well as any fee payable to third level colleges, have continued to be met by the Exchequer on their behalf. This change has applied to all new student grant holders from the 2010-11 academic year onwards.

Discussions are under way between my officials and those of the Department of Education and Skills and SUSI. Obviously, the details of student grants and maintenance support payments and so on are a matter for SUSI. We are in discussions with the authority and will come back in due course when we have concluded them. My absolute desire is to see as many lone parents as possible availing of an education. The grant supports, together with the lone parent payments, are important and represent significant financial support for lone parents, in particular, the many lone parents who are really successful when they return to education and attain qualifications.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Everyone acknowledges that those who are parenting alone would love to return to work or education, if at all possible. In this case, however, there is urgency. The decision was taken in budget 2013. Why has it taken so long for the officials of the Tánaiste's Department to respond? The Department is the reason these parents are now unable to access a maintenance grant on which they had been able to rely in continuing or starting in education and planning for their future.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

A total of 11,000 people have made a successful transition in recent years. Yesterday we discussed the numbers availing of family income supplement, which provides a major boost for people's income, those working either 19 hours or on a relatively low rate of payment. We are introducing the back to work family dividend. Furthermore, we have undertaken with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to introduce the after-school care payment, especially for persons who have been unemployed, including lone parents. We have, therefore, taken several initiatives. We examine all potential and possible initiatives that could further assist lone parents, in particular. All the statistics show that if people are parenting on their own over an 18 year period, their chances and those of their children of being at risk of poverty are significantly greater than those who are in work. The best way to reduce their chances of being at risk of poverty is for them to find full-time or part-time employment.