Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

I am concerned that 18 months have elapsed since the discussion paper was published and it is still not clear how the Minister intends to proceed with those proposals. I appreciate the Minister referred to the fact that the income limits are being raised but that is only one aspect. He also said the implementation group would look at the non-income elements. I wish to ask about the income elements. Those elements provide the poverty traps in which many lone parents find themselves in accessing employment and in respect of rent supplement if they enter employment and, most critically, cohabiting arrangements within the family. I am not clear how the Minister intends to proceed on those matters. Does he accept the recommendations and proposals made in the discussion document? Has he established an implementation group on those elements? Given that the document was published 18 months ago, I would have thought he would have been in a position to bring proposals on those critical elements to Cabinet in time for this year's budget. Is it his intention to do so? In particular, how does he intend to proceed on those income-related elements?

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