Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Prior to the reforms of the one-parent family payment, OFP, scheme, lone parents could have been on the scheme until their youngest child turned 18 years of age and 22 years if they were in full-time education. The non-conditional nature of the payment, coupled with its very long duration, engendered many lone parents and their children to long-term welfare dependency. Ireland's supports for lone parents have been out of line with international norms. There has been a movement away from long-term non-conditional support towards a more active and supportive approach. In New Zealand, the Netherlands and the UK, the equivalent lone parent supports cease when the youngest child reaches the age of five years.