Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

By anybody's standards a 40% uptake in family income supplement is very disappointing. This measure is targeted towards low income families where one parent is in employment, yet a considerable number appear to be unaware of it. The Minister referred to Towards 2016. Is he aware a commitment was made in Sustaining Progress to examine the possibility of combining the family income supplement and the qualified child payment in order to make a payment to help children in low income families where the income would taper if one or both parents went into the workforce? There is a difficulty in treating poor children differently depending on whether their parents are poor because they are on welfare or due to low paid employment. There is a need to streamline the system. The fact the uptake in family income supplement is only 40% should spur on the Minister to address the matter. It appears no action has been taken on the commitment that was given and I wish to know why that is the case.

My second question relates to a matter we discussed earlier. Not alone are children affected by income poverty, but they are also affected by public service poverty. Children in poor areas have to wait over a year for a psychological assessment. Is the Minister aware that children in certain areas have to wait over a year for assessment by an occupational therapist?

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