Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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404. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on adjusting the qualifications for the jobseeker's transition payment to enable single parents with joint equal custody of a child or children to apply for it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21347/23]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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405. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her views on adjusting the qualifications for the one-parent family payment to enable single parents with joint equal custody of a child or children to apply for it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21348/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 404 and 405 together.

The One-Parent Family Payment is a payment for lone parents under 66, who are not cohabiting, and whose youngest child is under seven. The Jobseekers Transitional Payment is a special arrangement under the Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme for lone parents under 66 who are not cohabiting and whose child/children are between seven and fourteen years old.

In addition to other requirements, to be eligible for either of these supports the applicant must be the main carer for at least one child. This means, for example, that the child must live with that person. The One Parent Family Payment and the Jobseekers Transitional Payment are not paid where there is joint equal custody of a child or children. There are no plans to make changes in this regard.

Where a person who has an income need, does not qualify for either of the above payments, they may qualify for another of the Department's income supports, such as Jobseeker's Allowance.

The Department continuously reviews its services and schemes to ensure they are meeting policy objectives while any proposed changes need also to be considered in an overall budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the position.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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406. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a means-tested payment will be affected by the new rent-a-room relief scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21353/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Last year, I announced a series of measures designed to remove barriers facing social welfare customers who choose to accommodate people in their own homes.

In July 2022 I signed legislation, which introduced a disregard of up to €269.23 per week in respect of income from renting a room in their own home. This disregard means that a social welfare customer will be able to rent out a room in their home for up to €14,000 per annum and this income will not see their means-tested primary social welfare payment impacted.

I introduced this regulation with the aim of removing any means disincentive for people letting out a room in their home for fear that it would impact their social welfare payment and I am pleased that Government has recently approved the extension of this disregard for a further two years until March 2025.

I trust this clarifies the matter for Deputy.