Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 296: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the progress of the report in relation to the single working age payment, the completion of which is necessary owing to the agreement between Ireland and the IMF/ECB/EU; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12826/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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As part of the agreed Programme of Financial Support with the EU/IMF and ECB, the Department submitted a progress report to the Troika by at the end of December 2011, outlining progress to date in developing a single working age payment. This report detailed measures that were steps towards a single working age payment and were announced in Budget 2012. These measures included changes to the One Parent Family Payment, the Farm Assist Scheme and the ceasing of concurrent entitlements to new entrants to the Community Employment Scheme.

A further commitment contained in the Programme for Financial Support is that the Department would submit to Government a comprehensive programme of reforms that can help better targeting of social support to those on lower incomes and ensure that work pays for welfare recipients. This programme is due to be submitted by end-March 2012 and it is expected that proposals in relation to the development of a single working age payment will be incorporated into this programme of reforms.