Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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278. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the status of the new working family payment being developed by his Department; the way he envisages that this payment will differ from family income supplement (FIS); if this payment will be complementary to FIS or will replace it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21589/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government contains a number of commitments to improve the take-home pay of families on low incomes. One such commitment is the proposed “working family payment” targeted at low-income families.

My Department’s approach to developing the working family payment will be guided by two principles. First, that it should ensure that work pays and that no family is better off on welfare than at work, and, second, though equally important, that it have a positive effect on child poverty.

An open call for submissions on the Working Family Payment was issued on the Department’s website. An Interdepartmental Working Group is in place to assist the work of my officials in developing proposals. This work is being informed by the consultation process.

Considerable work and analysis needs to be completed along with the consultation. My officials are working on an options paper on different proposals. When this process is complete I intend to share the paper with the Oireachtas Joint Committee. These proposals do not include plans to abolish, reduce or remove the Family Income Supplement from any working family.