Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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999. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of one-parent families that availed of parent's benefit and leave in 2021 and to date in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19759/22]

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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1013. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of lone parents in receipt of parent's benefit in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19834/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 999 and 1013 together.

Parent’s Benefit is a scheme payable to parents who take parent’s leave from work. It provides five weeks payment to each parent of a child aged under two years, or in the two years following an adoption, who is on Parent’s Leave from work to care for their child and covered by social insurance (PRSI).

A total of 42,051 people were in receipt of parents benefit in 2021. Of these, 6,647 individuals had a marital status of single, divorced, widowed, separated or legally separated.

Between January 1st 2022 and 31st March 2022, 15,560 people received parents benefit. Of these, 2,950 individuals had a marital status of single, divorced, widowed, separated or legally separated.