Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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210. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost in 2016 of increasing the maximum child age of the one-parent family payment from its current threshold of seven years to 14 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37802/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Given the complex and detailed nature of the Deputy’s request, it is not possible, in the timeframe available, for the Department to calculate the estimated full-year cost of increasing the maximum child age of the one-parent family payment (OFP) from its current threshold of seven years to fourteen years in 2016.

The Department has, however, calculated that the full year cost, in 2016, of increasing the OFP scheme maximum child age threshold from seven years to twelve years would be approximately €23.5 million. It should be noted that this figure includes a reduction in expenditure on the back to work family dividend (BTWFD). This arises as transitioned lone parents who are currently in receipt of the BTWFD would no longer be entitled to that payment were they to re-qualify for the OFP payment.