Maria Bailey (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

While I agree with the majority of the comments, nobody is referencing where we have come from and where we are. The recent economic crash devastated lone parents but also middle income earners, and there was mass emigration. The Minister is building year on year and trying to help the most vulnerable through various mechanisms, not only in child care but in back to education allowance, the new allowance for lone parents and the HAP scheme. People in receipt of rent supplement are prohibited from working more than a certain number of hours, which deters people from returning to work. Nowhere in the Millar report is it stated, nor did I hear at committee level until I asked the question, what the benefit will be to the families who will avail of the housing assistance payment, HAP, scheme that will allow them to work more hours than they are working, or the additional child care measures that have been put in place and that will come in for those families who need it the most. The Minister has focused in on those very heavily. I would very much welcome a more detailed economic report, not to put percentages over children's heads but to deal with the reality these families have to deal with. We are building on it, and although we are a long way off where we need to be, we are getting there.