Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

I am surprised that Question No. 162 which refers to the Minister's proposals on family income supplement and child benefit is not included in this grouping. I assume a more detailed answer will be available in the written replies.

Will the Minister agree that in reviewing supports for one parent families, it cannot be a case of reinventing the wheel? Not only are reports from bodies such as NESF available, there are also policy position papers from non-governmental organisations, such as the group, One Family. The Department of Social and Family Affairs must react to such proposals when put in the public arena, rather than developing a new bureaucratic review by which results will come out in a Delphic way in a year. We are aware of the problems and their potential solutions. What is required is the appropriate will to respond to them in the quickest possible time.

The Government allocates different departmental and ministerial responsibilities. Why is child care under the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and not under the remit of the Department of Social and Family Affairs? That is why there is much confusion over what resources are available and how they can be accessed. Until the Government is prepared to think in a joined-up way, many of the people reliant on these payments and resources continue to be left in an unnecessary grey area.

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