Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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It is the total amount of money that will be spent on FIS. We are advertising it much more. Last year, we introduced a better off in work calculator which allows a family to compare benefits to working. In 2007, when the economy started to go down the hill, the amount spent on FIS was €140 million. The expected expenditure this year on FIS is €281 million. We anticipate it will rise again next year. In all of the early discussions I had when we were improving the Department’s IT platforms, we noted getting on FIS was complex and awkward for recipients in approaching employers about it. All of that has improved significantly. Up to 48,493 families are on FIS for the end to this year which covers nearly 108,000 children. When we do the Estimates early next year, I will be able to give the Deputy the final figures then. We anticipate the number of families on FIS will go up next year.

In terms of the discussion about children in low-income households, next year I anticipate that the spend on FIS will increase to over €300 million. That is a very significant expenditure in terms of back to work supports. Social commentators have acknowledged that the spending is targeted at people in low-income households. As the Deputies have mentioned, many lone parents avail of FIS. The back to work family dividend will be an additional spend targeted at long-term unemployed people.