Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I am pleased the Minister has returned to the House as I would like clarification from her on one or two points. With due respect to the Minister, the longer we debate this issue the more ridiculous the Minister is becoming on it. I will explain why.

When speaking earlier on this issue, I used the Minister's figure of 92,000 in respect of the number of lone parents in this State. The Minister also stated that of that 92,000 only 150 to 160 will be affected this year, 700 to 800 next year and up to 2,000 the year after that. Those figures are correct to a point. However, they do not represent the full picture. Logic indicates that if between now and 2015 the age up to which a lone parent can receive the one parent family payment is to be reduced from 14 to seven years of age - it is payable up to 18 years in respect of some children - then the number of people receiving it will be halved.

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