Changes to the One Parent Family Payment come into effect today.

It means single parents in receipt of social welfare will be required to seek employment or training as soon as their youngest child turns seven.

The Department of Social Protection says lone parents who increase their number of part-time working hours to 19 will be better off under the changes, but opponents say thousands of families will lose out.

Speaking in the Dail last night, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said the changes will force thousands of lone parents and children further into poverty: