Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 126: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if a new applicant for community employment after 16 January who is a lone parent with two children should be entitled to more than €208 per week when they commence community employment. [2871/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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As announced in budget 2012, new entrants to the community employment programme will not be able to claim another social welfare-funded payment at the same time, but will receive the standard additional €20 community employment participation bonus on top of their original payment amount. This measure affects those receiving one-parent family payment, deserted wife's benefit or allowance, widow(er)'s pension, illness benefit, invalidity pension, disability allowance and blind pension. Those already on community employment will retain their original social welfare payment (bar double child increases per child for lone parent-type payments, as detailed below) for as long as they are continuously employed on community employment for a maximum period of three years, where applicable, based on their eligibility to continue participation. The payment of two qualified child increases per child where the person is employed on a community employment scheme and in receipt of one-parent family payment, deserted wife's benefit or allowance or widow(er)'s pension, will be discontinued for existing participants and new entrants in January 2012. New entrants to community employment are defined as people who have not participated on the scheme in the last 12 months. A new participant to community employment who is a lone parent with two qualifying children will receive €208 for themselves and €29.80 per qualifying child, totalling €267.60 gross per week.