Dáil debates

Wednesday, 30 September 2015

Other Questions

One-Parent Family Payments

10:20 am

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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7. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in the context of any review, if she will ensure that lone parents who are working part-time do not find themselves disadvantaged by way of a reduction in their net payment, arising from changes in the structure, payment and eligibility for the one-parent family allowance, with particular reference to those persons who are on local authority housing lists but who are dependent on private rent supported accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33015/15]

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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The question relates to the situation that emerges whereby a number of one-parent families, particularly where the mother has been in part-time work and is in receipt of rent support from the Department, are disadvantaged as a result of the transition from the one-parent family allowance to the new system. It takes time for such matters to settle down. Has the settling down period shown any discrepancies that need to be addressed?

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The one-parent family payment scheme reforms aim to maximise the opportunities for lone parents to enter into, or increase their level of, employment. The Department has contacted those lone parents who have transitioned from one-parent family payment, who are working part-time and who may have experienced a reduction. These customers were invited to attend a one-to-one meeting with a case officer in order to discuss their options. The Department will continue to assist these customers in any way possible.

Of the approximately 25,500 lone parents who transitioned out of the one-parent family payment on 2 July 2015, approximately 5,000 of them are in receipt of the rent supplement. Where these customers are in employment and have transitioned from the one-parent family payment to another income support payment, their contribution towards their rent may have decreased. The Deputy probably knows this. The amount they have to pay may have decreased. A lone parent who was working 19 hours per week on the national minimum wage, while also in receipt of the one-parent family payment, family income supplement and rent supplement, has seen very little difference in his or her weekly income after transition to the family income supplement.

If the Deputy has a case in which a lone parent has experienced a reduction, the rent supplement can be reviewed. We are doing this on a case-by-case basis and so far this year, we have negotiated approximately 4,500 cases. I recommend the Deputy bring such cases to the attention of his local social welfare office with a view to having the rent supplement reviewed. We are continuously reviewing all the elements of the scheme.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I am grateful to the Minister for her comprehensive reply. How many lone parents have been identified as being particularly affected by the transition? The Minister referred to it in her reply. Have adequate plans and provisions been put in place to address their concerns, given that they are on a fixed income and may already have been on a tight income with very little room for manoeuvre?

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Of the 25,500 customers who left the lone-parent payment scheme on 2 July 2015, approximately 13,600, half of them, moved to jobseeker's transitional payment, 2,500, 10%, moved to the jobseeker's assistance scheme, and approximately 8,000 moved to family income supplement. When one adds the back to work family dividend, most people experienced an improvement. Approximately 5,000 households of the 25,500 were in receipt of rent supplement. We are dealing with rent supplement issues on a case-by-case basis with the individual and would be happy to do so in any case which the Deputy would like to draw to our attention.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister.