Struggling single parents face €1,000 reduction in payments
By Juno McEnroe, Political Reporter
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
Struggling single parents will see their income slashed by €1,000 a year as financial supports are axed in the coming days.
Support groups for lone parents warned of consequences for single mothers and fathers yesterday as the Department ofSocial Protection opened a helpline to address concerns about cuts.
Letters to thousands of one-parent families in recent days outlined how qualified child increases (QCIs) — amounting to €29.80 per child per week — would be cut from community employment schemes.
As revealed by the Irish Examiner, the letter to 4,500 parents outlined the cuts to QCIs will be implemented on February 20.
A national campaign network for lone parents said the cutbacks would hit areas where unemployment was high and parents relied on community employment supports.
Francis Byrne, chief executive of OPEN, told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that the net cut, after claims are changed with means-testing, would amount to a huge reduced income per year for struggling parents.
"It represents a huge cut for families and we’re estimating that it probably will result in a €20 net cut a week depending on circumstances, which is €1,000 a year and which a lot of us would find hard to take, particularly those on community employment because it’s not as if it’s high wages," she said.
One Family’s director Karen Kiernan said the cuts would see parents unable to move into the labour market.
"They are just not going to be able to afford their childcare, petrol or bus fares to get to and from their schemes."
The cut will affect existing as well as new, one-parent-family claimants enrolled in community employment schemes.
The changes are part of Social Protection Minister Joan Burton’s plan to save €21 million through a range of cuts to lone parent supports this year as planned in the budget.
Ms Burton’s department yesterday opened up a helpline to cope with concerns about overall changes to payments to lone parents.
Parents can ring 1890 500 000, open from 9am to 6pm from Monday to Friday, about their concerns.
Ms Burton has promised a review of all CE schemes will be completed next month.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Tuesday, February 07, 2012
