Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

The Minister stated he hopes to introduce the new payment by the end of the year. His predecessor made the same commitment in 2006. Why has the original commitment not been met?

The Minister will agree that the cohabitation rule is anti-family and deprives children of the right to have both parents present in the home. Is his timescale for removing the cohabitation rule this year a definite and firm commitment? Will all the changes regarding one-parent families be introduced together or incrementally? To return to a question the Minister failed to answer, will the new system be mandatory or voluntary?

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