Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)

It was a very worthwhile attempt to explore a utopian solution but it has considerable limitations. The age limit for children is the first of these. I ask the Minister to examine the report produced by Camille Loftus for the One Parent Exchange and Network. This excellent report exposed all of the limitations, particularly those relating to workplace flexibility, the availability of child care and the marginalisation of people who end up worse off. People did become worse off. Ms Loftus gave three or four examples which clearly indicated that this was the case.

I wish to raise the case of a young girl I encountered who was a lone parent and returning to education. I was given an assurance by the Minister in this House and I consider such an assurance to be equivalent to a solemn oath. The Minister's predecessor, Deputy Coughlan, destroyed many schemes. She was the worst ever Minister for Social and Family Affairs and tried to emasculate every scheme she got her hands on. She increased the qualifying period of unemployment for the back to education allowance from six months to 15. A number of spurious reasons were given for this decision, which was an attempt to implement the Thatcherite agenda of the former Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy. However, that is another matter. The current Minister for Social and Family Affairs reduced the period to 12 months but gave a solemn assurance on the floor of this House that because it would only cost a few million euro, the period would be reduced to nine months.

I met the young girl in question in August. She had come to the end of the nine-month period but no longer qualified for the scheme because she had not been unemployed for 12 months. This young girl was ready to return to education, obtain a qualification that would be of some use to the country and improve her lot. What the Minister has said is highfalutin nonsense. It is great theory. He is the Minister for reviews. However, unless a review produces something positive for people, it is useless. I recall the reference to the nine-month period in this House because I badgered the Minister in a possibly uncouth manner. However, I was doing my job.

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