Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left) | Oireachtas source

I wish to ask specifically about one-parent families. Has there been a decrease in the number of one-parent families in the workplace? What are the figures in this regard? Has there been a decrease or an increase? In relation to activation programmes for one-parent families in the future, what does the Department envisage? We have seen figures recently to the effect that the number of lone parents in the workplace has decreased. The fact is that child care support is not there at the moment to facilitate many lone parents to get back into the workplace. I know the witnesses cannot comment on the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, but do they think that is a factor?