Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 22:

In page 14, after line 25, to insert the following:“10. The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection shall, within eight months of the enactment of this Act, prepare and lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on policy options to strengthen social protection supports for one parent families with a youngest child between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, inclusive. The report will include a consideration of—

(a) the current qualification thresholds for jobseeker’s transitional payment, and

(b) the potential to raise income disregard for families in this cohort to the same amount as the income disregard for one parent families whose youngest child is under the age of fourteen.”.

Amendment No. 22 deals with the issue of one-parent families where the youngest child is over the age of 14. I pointed out to the Minister that there are real concerns on this issue. I know we have a disagreement on policy in that regard. The increase we saw for a qualified child in the budget again recognises that teenagers have an additional cost. However, that €3 per week increase is very little for a lone parent with a child over the age of 14 who will possibly lose €100, given the changes in the budget, and even more in income disregard as soon as the child turns 14. A one-parent family with a 15 year old child is still a one-parent family and should still be given appropriate recognition and support from the State.