Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

This section obviously just clarifies the operation of the revised qualifying criteria for the payment. The change made last year introduced a restriction on entitlement for families where the youngest child reaches 14 years. It was a major change, which at the time I said was regressive without activation measures or the change in the economic climate. It meant that young single families would be penalised upon the youngest child reaching 14 or in the case of a child with a disability 16. I will not oppose the section because it clarifies and does not change the effect of the retrograde step. I am just pointing out that this came about as a result of the change introduced last year. There are questions to be asked about this. It will be interesting to see how it is worked out. The parent is entitled to the payment if the youngest child is under 14. Pre-employment training, activation measures and supports must be in place so people will not be penalised. I refer not only to the allowance in question under the social welfare code. It is vital for the State, as it plans to make progress and emerge from the recession, that all the measures to which I refer be put in place. There is an insufficient number of training opportunities, job vacancies, and re-education and back-to-education courses. I urge the Government to take the opportunity presented by this Bill to clarify the exact number of jobs and training opportunities that will be available. A figure of 5,000 or 10,000 is nothing when one considers the scale of unemployment.

When we were discussing the logic of the lone-parent family payment, it was stated that it acted as a disincentive to going back to work. The vast majority of single parents I know who are in receipt of social welfare payments would love the opportunity to go back to work. Studies show that the vast majority of payments end when one's child is seven, eight or nine, at which time an opportunity may present itself to enter full-time employment. This was in the past when there was work available. At present, however, work is not available and people will become increasingly dependent on social welfare unless the Oireachtas offers leadership and puts in place schemes such as community employment schemes and accelerates the two schemes to which I have referred.

Deputy Wallace asked the Minister for Social Protection about Tús during Question Time. There are major concerns over Tús and other schemes in my area because there is no accompanying training allowance. There is no additionality; the payment is a straight payment. The employer does not have an additional budget from the State to help the person taking up a position to further his education. Proper account is not taken of the fact that people must travel to and from work. This is also the case in respect of single parents. If they were to avail of Tús opportunities or the internship, there would be no additionality to ensure they could benefit fully. While I have had these concerns since last year, or perhaps earlier this year, having made my clarifications, I will not oppose the section.

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