Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I would not use the early child care supplement as an example of a targeted approach considering millions of euro are going outside the country when it was supposed to be targeted at the cost of child care in this country.

It is beside the point how one calculates the living alone allowance or which group's figures are used. Does the Minister agree that the living costs for a pensioner living alone are approximately 73% of a couple's costs? A pensioner whose husband recently died informed me that her household costs are the same except for the fact that she buys a bit less food and only clothes for one person. She still has to pay car insurance, car tax, car repayments and her household running costs are all the exact same but now she has only one income. The lack of an increase in the living alone allowance is pushing that elderly lady into poverty. Similar examples can be found elsewhere in the country. Regardless of which figures one chooses, the reality on the ground is the same.

The Minister spoke about increasing the overall social welfare rates. The social welfare system has to target those who need help most. I urge her to give some consideration to the living alone allowance.

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