Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

-----and reversed the cruel measure introduced by the Government led by the Fianna Fáil Party to cut the minimum wage.

The work the Minister for Social Protection is doing is to reform the social welfare system, something that has been long overdue and was neglected during the years, particularly during the good years Deputy Micheál Martin's party was in government. The changes the Minister is making to the way in which lone parent payments are made go hand in hand with the changes to the way in which child care is provided. Nobody is arguing or would argue that a child of seven years should be left at home alone. That is nonsense. The changes being made on a graduated basis and over a number of years are being made on the basis of changes being made in the delivery of child care services. The Minister reiterated this point in the House last night when she made it clear that when legislation was enacted, its implementation was clearly dependent on the various reforms being joined up.

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