Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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63. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the degree to which she has evaluated the impact of the reduced one-parent family payment on the recipients, in certain circumstances where the alternatives offered may still result in a considerably reduced income; if she will consider any ameliorating measures in such circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25380/15]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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66. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the steps, if any, available to her to address issues of one-parent families that have experienced a reduction in their income from the one-parent family payment, notwithstanding the various alternatives on offer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25383/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 66 together.

The purpose of the reform of the one parent family payment is to maximise the opportunities for lone parents to enter into and increase employment. I welcome the considerable debate that has been generated by this reform, which commenced in 2012. My priority is to ensure that we, as a society, arrive at a situation where lone parents have the same opportunities to access employment, training and education. Despite committing extensive funding to lone parent payments since the 1970s, lone parents remain the most at-risk-of-poverty, and their children are at a high risk of poverty.

The final phase of the one-parent family payment age reforms are due to take place on 2 July 2015 when approximately 29,400 one-parent family payment recipients will be transitioning out of the one-parent family payment scheme. Approximately 19,800 are expected to transition to the jobseeker’s transitional payment, 4,100 to jobseeker’s allowance and 5,500 to a re-rated family income supplement.

The 5,500 customers already on family income supplement will have their payment automatically increased to take account of the loss of 60% of their one-parent family payment income and have received letters to that effect. These individuals will also qualify for the back to work family dividend (BTWFD), which allows them to retain their increase for a qualified child when they transition off the one parent family payment. The Dividend is worth €1,550 per child in the first year and reducing to 50% entitlement worth €775 per child in the second year.

All remaining customers were invited to attend information sessions in their local Intreo offices where they were advised of the different options available to them when they transition from the one-parent family payment scheme. At these information sessions, staff of the Department informed lone parents that the most financially advantageous option available to them was to work a minimum of 19 hours per week and claim family income supplement.

On foot of these information sessions, estimates suggest that to date over 1,250 of these lone parents have become first time family income supplement recipients. These individuals are now financially better off than when they were claiming the one-parent family payment. These customers will also qualify for the BTWFD from 2 July 2015.

The majority of customers who will move to a jobseeker’s payment will have no change in their weekly income. However, individuals who are earning above €60 per week may incur a loss as the jobseeker’s means test is less generous than the equivalent one-parent family payment means test.

Lone parents who transition to the jobseeker’s transitional payment will be supported by the Department to produce a personal development plan with the help of a case officer on a one to one basis. My Department will continue work with lone parents to provide them with enhanced access to the Department's supports and services.

I look forward to examining the various supports available to all families with children, including single parent families, in the next Budget. In particular, I will look at the scope for improvements in the child benefit, as well as other supports for families in part-time or full-time employment.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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64. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of women previously in receipt of the one-parent family payment, who have experienced a net reduction in their weekly income arising from the changes that have taken place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25381/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The reforms to the one-parent family payment saw approximately 10,000 customers transitioning from one-parent family payment to a range of alternative income support payments on 4 July, 2013, and on 3 July, 2014. The majority of these customers were women given that currently 98% of one-parent family payment recipients are women.

It is not possible to give definitive figures on the number of customers, who experienced a change in income on foot of transitioning from the one-parent family payment scheme as this depends on individual circumstances and the status of all affected customers may have changed in the interim.

Over 2,000 customers transferred from the one-parent family payment and family income supplement to a re-rated family income supplement, which was automatically increased to take account of the loss of 60% of their one-parent family payment income. It should also be noted that in July 2013 and in July 2014 almost 600 lone parents become new family income supplement recipients. These 600 individuals would have gained financially from claiming family income supplement for the first time.

Almost 6,000 lone parents transitioned to jobseeker’s scheme including the jobseeker’s transitional payment. The majority of customers who moved to a jobseeker’s payment received no change in their weekly income. However, individuals who were earning above €60 per week incurred a loss as the jobseeker’s means test is less generous than the equivalent one-parent family payment means test.

Lone parents who have transitioned to the jobseeker’s transitional payment are being supported by the Department to produce a personal development plan with the help of a case officer on a one to one basis. My Department will continue work with lone parents to provide them with enhanced access to the Department's supports and services.

There were over 400 lone parents who would have been due to transition from one-parent family payment and half rate Carer’s Allowance to full rate Carer’s Allowance. As a result these individuals would have suffered a drop in their weekly income. However, earlier this year I introduced an extension to the entitlement of the one-parent family payment so that from May of this year these customers can re-apply for one-parent family payment and provided they satisfy the conditions they will be able to retain one-parent family payment and half rate carer’s allowance until their youngest child is 16 years of age.

The remaining lone parents transitioned from one-parent family payment to a wide range of other payments or to education, training or employment programmes.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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65. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of applicants for the one-parent family payment refused on whatever grounds, on a monthly basis, over the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25382/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following tabular statement.

One-Parent Family Payment Claims Disallowed June 2014 to May 2015