John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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170. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated annual cost of making jobseeker's transitional payment and the SUSI grant payable to lone parents regardless of the age of the youngest child or whether the family is in receipt of rent supplement. [18548/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Under the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is available to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the terms and conditions of funding, including those relating to residency, means, nationality and previous academic attainment.  All applications are assessed with reference to the terms and conditions of the relevant student grant scheme.

Under the Student Grant Scheme, the Jobseekers Transitional payment is an eligible payment for the special rate of maintenance grant and an income disregard (where paid to the applicant). Rent Supplement is considered an income disregard and not included in calculating reckonable income.

The Jobseeker’s Transitional payment is administered by the Department of Social Protection. I understand that this payment is a special arrangement under the Jobseekers Allowance scheme that aims to support lone parents into the workforce where the youngest child is aged between 7 and 13 years inclusive.

SUSI does not hold data on the age of children linked to the Jobseekers Transition payment. Also, I understand that persons in receipt of this payment may subsequently move onto other eligible long-term payments for the special rate of maintenance grant. These payments may not necessarily identify the individual as being a lone parent.

It is therefore not possible to cost this proposal.