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	Thousands of single parents are facing cuts in their income as a result of welfare changes which came into effect last week . More than 2,500 parents in receipt of the One-Parent Family payment have been moved off the benefit and on to the Jobseekers&rsquo; Allowance payment over recent days.</p>
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	The changes are aimed at incentivising welfare recipients to enter the workforce or training, but parents&rsquo; groups say they will leave many vulnerable families trapped in poverty.</p>
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	Both welfare payments are worth the same. However, recipients are able to earn up to &euro;110 per week and retain their full welfare benefit under the One-Parent Family payment. The earnings disregard for the Jobseekers&rsquo; Allowance is much lower at &euro;60. This means many lone parents who have been working part-time face cuts of &euro;50 or more per week.</p>
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	<br />
	Loss of income<br />
	The&nbsp;<a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=Department%20of%20Social%20Protection&amp;article=true" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); text-decoration: none; outline: none !important;">Department of Social Protection</a>&nbsp;confirmed yesterday that the welfare changes would lead to a loss of income for many single parents who were working part-time.</p>
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	&ldquo;The reforms also aim to bring Ireland&rsquo;s support for lone parents in line with international provisions,&rdquo; said a spokeswoman for Minister for Social Protection&nbsp;<a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Joan%20Burton&amp;article=true" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); text-decoration: none; outline: none !important;">Joan Burton</a>.</p>
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	By July 2015 all lone parents in receipt of benefits will have moved to the Jobseekers&rsquo; Allowance if their youngest child is seven years of age or older.</p>
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	<a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=Fianna%20F%C3%A1il&amp;article=true" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); text-decoration: none; outline: none !important;">Fianna F&aacute;il</a>&nbsp;Deputy Se&aacute;n Fleming TD criticised the move which he said would drive single parents out of part-time work. &ldquo;If there were jobs available it might make sense, but they&rsquo;re not there.&rdquo;</p>
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	His concerns were shared by lone parent groups such as Open and Spark, who say the moves will plunge vulnerable families deeper into poverty.</p>
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	&ldquo;There is no upside to this,&rdquo; said&nbsp;<a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Frances%20Byrne&amp;article=true" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); text-decoration: none; outline: none !important;">Frances Byrne</a>&nbsp;of Open. &ldquo;It will simply add to the burden on families and children. We have worried parents on the phone to us who stand to lose out.&rdquo;</p>
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	Spark&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Louis%20Bayliss&amp;article=true" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); text-decoration: none; outline: none !important;">Louis Bayliss</a>&nbsp;also said parents had been promised by Ms Burton that these changes would only occur once a Scandinavian-type childcare system was in place. &ldquo;All we&rsquo;ve seen is the introduction of after-school places for 6,000 children, but there&rsquo;s likely to be 60,000 or more children affected by these moves.&rdquo;&nbsp;<br />
	<br />
	Sufficient supports<br />
	However, One Family&rsquo;s director of policy&nbsp;<a class="search" href="http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Stuart%20Duffin&amp;article=true" style="color: rgb(0, 51, 153); text-decoration: none; outline: none !important;">Stuart Duffin</a>&nbsp;said the move made sense as long as there were sufficient supports in place to assist parents to enter the workforce. &ldquo;The best way out of poverty is work, and work must pay. At the same time, we need to ensure that no one is further disadvantaged during this transition period.&rdquo;<br />
	Carl&#39;O&#39;Brien<br />
	<br />
	<a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/lone-parents-face-income-cuts-as-new-welfare-changes-come-into-force-1.1459436">http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/lone-parents-face-income-cuts-as-new-welfare-changes-come-into-force-1.1459436</a></p>
