Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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89. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the transitional supports being put in place for the 380 people whose one-parent family payment and half-rate carer’s allowance are both due to end this year; and whether he accepts that the sudden loss of these payments risks plunging vulnerable families into financial hardship and uncertainty. [21009/25]

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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I welcome the Minister's comments on the nutritional review of the school meals programme. I acknowledge and commend the great work of the companies right across the country, including in Mayo, in delivering school meals. Companies like Steak Out catering, for example, are delivering high-quality nutritional meals to hundreds of children across east and south Mayo, in particular.

My question concerns the one-parent family payment and a half-rate carer's allowance. There are many concerns over these very vulnerable families. Given that this payment is due to end at the end of the year, are there any plans for a transitional payment to protect these families during what will be very difficult time?

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for his question. I take it that it concerns people in receipt of the one-parent family allowance, domiciliary care allowance and the half-rate carer's allowance in respect of a child who is turning 16 this year. Of the approximately 10,200 people currently in receipt of both the one-parent family payment and half-rate carer's allowance, approximately 390 will cease being in this position during 2025 due to the age of their youngest child. However, it is important to note that at age 16, the person for whom the half-rate carer's allowance or domiciliary care allowance was being paid becomes eligible to apply for the disability allowance in their own right. This payment rate is €244 per week compared with €360 per month for domiciliary care allowance, meaning that payments into the household will increase by over €8,400 a year. The person formerly in receipt of the one-parent family payment can move to the jobseeker’s allowance payment, which is paid at the same rate as the one-parent family payment, or, alternatively, where such a person is providing full-time care, they can apply for full-rate carer's allowance. In the latter case, the person can work 18.5 hours a week and retain the payment.

It is not necessarily the case that the family of a child who has an ongoing disability which requires their parent to provide full-time care will inevitably experience a reduction in payment. However, if there are cases where that is happening, I will certainly work with the Deputy to address that.

I should also highlight a number of changes that have been made to assist lone-parent families in recent budgets. Within the context of the programme for Government, we are looking at a range of reviews of supports for lone-parent families. We are currently preparing a work plan to implement that commitment.

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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I am sure the Minister will acknowledge that lone parents are vulnerable and have a difficult time. According to the ESRI, there is a huge risk of economic vulnerability. We should do everything we can. I will certainly work with him on any of those families who may be at risk and who fall in that gap in terms of the payment. I welcome what the Minister said to Deputy O'Reilly on child maintenance and the means test. The programme for Government commits to supporting lone parents and I look forward to working with the Minister to ensure that supports continue. I hope we can work with the Minister to ensure that no family will be taken off the lone parents support at the end of the year.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I have already met with a number of groups in this space pointing out many anomalies in the system we need to address to assist lone parents. As the Deputy said, it is a very challenging role. I have engaged with the groups and unfortunately it seems there are systems that are not helping them. I am determined to address those anomalies to make sure that there is support in place for lone parents who do such an important job right throughout the country.