Written answers

Thursday, 14 December 2006

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Family Support Services

7:00 pm

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 11: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will report on progress being made in relation to the implementation of proposed policy changes aimed at addressing the needs of lone parents as set out in the Government Discussion Paper Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents. [43248/06]

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 21: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress on removing the cohabitation rule as a condition for receiving lone parent payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43279/06]

Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 34: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs when he expects to complete his consideration of the proposed new package of reforms of State aid for lone parents; when he expects to bring forward specific proposals; if such proposals will be included in his budget package; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43132/06]

Photo of Pat BreenPat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress to date in introducing the new parental allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43262/06]

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 81: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the progress regarding the proposals for supporting lone parents; and when he envisages that new proposals will be brought before Dáil Éireann. [43252/06]

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some lone parents are being discriminated against due to the cohabitation rule; and when he proposes to rectify this anomaly. [43256/06]

Photo of Séamus BrennanSéamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 21, 34, 47, 81 and 87 together.

The Government discussion paper, Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents, put forward proposals for the expanded availability and range of education and training opportunities for lone parents; the extension of the National Employment Action Plan to focus on lone parents; focused provision of childcare; improved information services for lone parents and the introduction of a new social assistance payment for low income families with young children. The paper also proposed the abolition of the cohabitation rule as a condition for receipt of the proposed social assistance payment.

One of the proposals in the report was that the upper income limit for the new social assistance payment should be set at €400 per week. Last year, in Budget 2006, I increased the upper income limits on the one parent family payment from €293 to €375 per week, moving a substantial way towards this limit. In this year's Budget I completed this element of the proposal by increasing the upper income limit for the one parent family payment to €400 per week.

The new social assistance payment, currently being developed by officials in my Department will have the long term aim of assisting people to achieve financial independence through supporting them to enter employment, the avenue that offers the best route out of poverty.

Any proposed new payment can only be introduced when the necessary co-ordinated supports and services are put in place by other Departments and Agencies. This is why the Government has instructed the Senior Officials Group on Social Inclusion to draw up an implementation plan to progress the non-income recommendations in tandem with the development of the legislation required in my Department to introduce a new payment scheme.

Work on the development of this implementation plan is currently under way. Issues including access to childcare support, education, training and activation measures are being discussed with the relevant Departments and Agencies.

While the formal consultation process on the Government discussion paper has concluded, my officials continue to be in regular contact with lone parents' representative groups, whose views continue to feed in to the shaping and structuring of the proposals.

Once I am satisfied that we have reached conclusions that are equitable, with a fully workable implementation strategy, it is my intention to bring forward proposals for consideration by the Government in the New Year.

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