MINISTER FOR Family Affairs Mary Hanafin is considering the removal of the one-parent family allowance when a child reaches 13 years of age, rather than the current cut-off age of 22.

Ms Hanafin told the Dáil that “there must be a sea change in cultural attitudes so that lone parents, particularly young parents, are not looking forward to a 22-year time span during which they are not obliged to take any responsibility for their own education and training or advancement into employment”.

But Fine Gael family affairs spokeswoman Olwyn Enright said it was “somewhat ironic” that nothing was done when it might have been possible to get lone parents into work. “Now that there are far fewer employment opportunities, the Government is considering forcing them into employment,” she said.

During Dáil question time, Ms Hanafin said any changes to the payment, worth up to €196 weekly, would be phased in “over a number of years”.

She said that “if we are talking about a cut-off point of the child reaching 13 years of age, we will have an opportunity, three or four years in advance, to ensure parents are benefiting from education and training,” because “the best route out of poverty is through employment”.

The Minister stressed that “there is no question of simply cutting off payment. Hopefully these people will be able to participate in work or full-time employment. We have noticed that there is a tendency among lone parents to sit on a certain number of hours because of their fear of losing the book.”

Ms Enright said: “I do not blame people for sitting on a certain number of hours. The reality is that even three or four additional hours of work means they will lose their lone parent entitlement and therefore be worse off.

“I support in principle what the Minister is trying to do but the system will not allow it to be done. There will not be sufficient places in education and training, transport will not be provided to those learning facilities, and there will not be sufficient childcare services to accommodate parents. Children of 13 years still require to be taken care of when they come home from school.”

Ms Enright said there would have to be significant change in the operation of the Minister’s department, the Department of Education and also of Fás “if the proposed changes are to be successful. There must be a carrot as well as a stick. All we have heard about so far is the stick.” Ms Hanafin said her department had undertaken a comprehensive review of the one-parent family payment. The original proposals favoured a cut-off at seven years of age. “It is my view that seven years of age is too early. Instead, I am considering that payment be ceased when the child reaches the age of 13 years. At that age, children are in secondary education and have a longer school day with more after-school activities. Therefore, parents are not in need of full-time childcare.”

Ms Enright asked when a final decision would be made. “I assure the deputy that any changes will not be brought in suddenly,” said Ms Hanafin. “We must give people notice to enable them to avail of the education and training they will need.” She said about 2,000 people would come off the payment in a given year.