Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 217: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will report on the income limits for eligibility for the deserted wife's benefit payment; his views on whether there is a need to have them updated; and when he intends to do so (details supplied). [16474/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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Deserted wife's benefit is a social insurance payment made to a woman deserted by her husband. Entitlement to payment is based on social insurance contributions paid by the wife or her husband. The scheme was introduced in 1973 and was discontinued with effect from 2 January 1997, when one-parent family payment was introduced.

An earnings limit was introduced for deserted wife's benefit as and from 31 August 1992. The limit, which applied to new claims after that date, is €12,697.38 a year — gross earnings. Where earnings are in excess of this amount, there may be entitlement to a reduced rate of payment of deserted wife's benefit, provided earnings do not exceed €17,776.33 a year gross.

Under the one-parent family payment scheme, lone parents are encouraged to maximise their income from different sources and the means test for this scheme makes provision for the exemption of earnings and maintenance payments. The current earnings disregard is €146.50 per week or approximately €7,600 per annum.

The earnings limit for deserted wife's benefit has always been considered reasonable in comparison with the disregard for the one-parent family payment. The issue of support for lone parents generally to access employment is being examined as part of the end child poverty initiative under Sustaining Progress and the level of disregards and other supports for lone parents will be addressed in the light of the outcome of this examination.