Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I do not blame people for sitting on a certain number of hours. The reality is that even three or four additional hours of work means they will lose their lone parent entitlement and therefore be worse off. That is the problem. I support in principle what the Minister is trying to do but the system will not allow it to be done. There will not be sufficient places in education and training, transport will not be provided to those learning facilities and there will not be sufficient child care services to accommodate parents. Children of 13 years still require to be taken care of when they come home from school.

There will have to be a significant change in how the Minister's Department, the Department of Education and Science and FÁS operate if the proposed changes are to be successful. The Minister said she has had discussions with her colleagues. What changes do they propose or what changes has that Minister asked them to make to ensure people have access to the supports they require? There must be a carrot as well as a stick. All we have heard about so far is the stick.

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