Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Does the Tánaiste agree that this cut is one of a list of many, that it is now part of a pattern of broken promises to women, in particular, who make up the majority of single parents? She has slashed child benefit, rent supplement and now she is forcing parents with children over seven onto jobseeker's allowance. It will mean cuts of €57 to €86 a week for people who do not have access to child care. In 2012, the Tánaiste said she would not bring this in unless we had child care provision similar to that in Scandinavia. I think she will agree that we do not have that. Single-parent families are the biggest group in poverty. According to the CSO survey, 63% are in deprivation. The organisation OPEN has said that they live in constant fear of an energy bill or homelessness. We might as well reopen the mother and baby homes and have done with it, because the Tánaiste is forcing people-----

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