Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left) | Oireachtas source

This Bill is not fit for purpose. However, I do not propose to vote against it. This Bill follows on from the Social Welfare Act 2012 Act, which proposed amendments to the one-parent family payment. During debate on that legislation, the Minister gave a commitment that these cuts would not be proceeded with in 2015 if decent, affordable and accessible child care had not been put in place. When this issue was raised by the National Women's Council of Ireland at a conference in 2012, female members of the Labour Party called on the Council not to oppose the cuts on the basis that the Minister would keep her word and they would not be implemented in 2015 if affordable child care provision had not been put in place by then.

It is outrageous that the Minister is proceeding with this.

We know that 63% of lone parents live in deprivation, we know we have the highest child care costs in Europe, and we are still proceeding with this. The Labour Party in particular should hold its head in shame. The Government has suggested it is to facilitate lone parents getting back into the workplace. Almost 53% of lone parents are in the workplace and these are the people affected by these cuts.

I said this already and it should go on the record again. The Minister absolutely agreed with the figures provided by SPARC, the lone parents group, that there would be a 20% loss in earnings with this, even with the one-parent family payment. The Government is taking money out of their pockets while at the same time giving about €30 back to them, and that will be gone in about two years' time.

The Government should hold its head in shame. This is an absolutely disgraceful continuation of cuts on the most vulnerable people in society.

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