Ms Mary McDermott:

One of the things I keep hearing is the way we are all adjusting in some way to the fact that there should not be a fully supported free education system. That means all of the things required for any child from zero to 18, or 22 if they are in full-time education, to have full support. A child-centred focus that puts them at the centre shifts our perspective. We have many perspectives. In the case of lone parents I could sit here until next week crushing everyone with statistics. We have harrowing descriptions of the poverty traps that lone parents in particular fall prey to. In the end the only sustainable solution is to perhaps simply implement the 2013 Oireachtas report as Ms Tinsley has said. The lists of all the issues sound like shopping lists and our conversation then starts to go between whether it is the responsibility of the principals, the teachers, the students or the parents. This is the State's responsibility, as Deputy Jan O'Sullivan said. There is no point in me talking on this because we all know that on some level. I want to make the point that in the case of lone parents some of the payments and supports available are completely inequitable compared to those available to couples and they really need attention.