Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I will speak to amendment No. 22 in particular but I thought Deputy Ó Snodaigh's amendment No. 2 was reasonable and would have at least provided us with an opportunity to discuss what we feel needs to be out there for people. I am concerned about the amendments to jobseekers allowance and jobseekers benefit on the basis that adequate places are not available. However, people have to be offered a course before they lose payment and that is different to what the Minister proposes with regard to one-parent families. With 17 minutes remaining we will not get to discuss one-parent families. I have huge difficulties with what the Minister is doing with regard to one-parent families because they will lose their payment regardless of what places are available. I know they will be allowed receive jobseekers allowance but the one-parent family payment will be taken from them-----

See this speech in context