Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The Government discussion paper, Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents, put forward proposals for the expanded availability and range of education and training opportunities for lone parents, the extension of the national employment action plan to focus on lone parents, focused provision of child care, improved information services for lone parents and the introduction of a new social assistance payment for low income families with young children.

The new social assistance payment, currently being developed by officials in my Department will have the long-term aim of assisting people to achieve financial independence through supporting them to enter employment as it is employment that offers the best route out of poverty.

Active engagement will take place with recipients of the payment with a progression plan being agreed to support the person into education, training and employment. This engagement will increase when the youngest child reaches a certain age, with an expectation that the person will seek part-time employment, education or training for a period, before then moving on to seek full-time employment as the youngest child gets older.

Extensive consultation has been carried out at all stages in the development of the proposal. Submissions were invited from a range of organisations when the working group was first established within the Department of Social and Family Affairs to analyse the income support arrangements for lone parents and parents on low income. Thirty-nine organisations were contacted, including organisations participating in social partnership, lone parent organisations and other relevant organisations. Submissions were received from 13 of these.

A consultative forum also took place with the then Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Séamus Brennan, following the publication of the Government discussion paper. Attendees included representatives from a range of lone parent organisations, other NGOs, relevant agencies and other Departments, as well as Opposition spokespersons and members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social and Family Affairs.

In May 2006 the then Minister, Deputy Brennan, participated in a debate on the discussion paper in the Seanad and has presented the proposals to the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs. This consultation has continued as the proposals are being developed in the Department with a number of meetings having taken place between officials and lone parents groups. Presentations of the proposals have been made at various fora around the country. The discussion at these meetings and events continues to assist in the development of the proposals.

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