Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the officials from the Department of Social Protection and thank them for their presentation. Case officers have worked with many lone parents on delivering tailored plans. Has there been analysis of the type of educational opportunities or training or employment opportunities they have taken up? Access to child care is a problem and I look forward to the announcement of a new package in the budget next week. It is a particular challenge for lone parents. It is a particular challenge also that they cannot access the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance when they move to on the family income supplement, FIS. Does the Department have plans to tackle that or do the witnesses think there is a need to do that?