Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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181. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he can ensure the availability of replacement income for those in receipt of one-parent family allowance whose allowance may have been reduced or discontinued but that may not be in a position to go to work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26251/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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It is important to note that my Department provides a number of income supports to lone parents. These include the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) scheme until the youngest child is 7 years of age and the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) payment where the youngest child is aged 7-13 years. The Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) payment can also be paid to lone parents where the youngest child is aged 14 or over. The Family Income Supplement (FIS) is also available to lone parents who are working 19 or more hours per week.

In most cases entitlement to the OFP payment ends when the youngest child reaches 7 years of age. There are special provisions for those caring, in receipt of Blind Pension or recently bereaved that extend the age of the youngest child beyond 7 years of age. The majority of customers transition to the JST, FIS or JA schemes when their OFP entitlement ends.

Lone parents who are not working outside the home can transition to JST when their OFP ends. These customers do not suffer an income loss when they move to JST as JST is paid at the same rate as OFP. JST is available to lone parents (both former OFP recipients and new lone parents), until the youngest child reaches 14 years of age. JST customers are exempt from the JA conditions that require them to be available for, and genuinely seeking, full-time work. As such, no lone parent with a youngest child aged under 14 years is required to take up employment in order to receive income support from the Department. They can also move into education and/or employment, including into part-time employment, and still receive payment, subject to a means test.

All JST recipients also receive a one to one meeting with a case officer from the Department who assists them to produce a personal development plan and guides them towards appropriate education, and employment opportunities. While the customer is on the JST payment access to these supports are potentially available for up to seven years. This is a much broader support than the 12 month engagement that normally applies for jobseekers from their one to one meeting. The aim of this broader support is to improve the individual’s employment prospects.

When the youngest child reaches 14 years of age lone parents can transition to the JA payment. To qualify for this payment a person must be available for and genuinely seeking full-time work. However, lone parents on a JA payment also gain access to the full range of Intreo supports available to assist them into training, education and employment. These income and activation supports combined ensure that there are effective resources available to lone parents.