Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is not our role to do this. As far as this being a sop is concerned, it is not a sop or a response to people being under pressure. The back-to-work family dividend is substantial and the people I have spoken to have quite welcomed it. They see it as an opportunity to get back into the workforce, having been distanced from that. This is an opportunity for people to get back into work for a period of time through a subvention that is paid over two years. While there is a tailing off, people know exactly what they are getting into and they quite welcome it. Of all the people I have spoken to, I believe there were only two who responded negatively, including one of the Deputies present, who objected on Committee Stage because people would be at a loss as it tailed off after two years. I accept there is a time element.

I refute any suggestion these changes are being made in order to make it more difficult for a person to qualify for the carer's scheme. I do not accept that is the intention, although I know Deputy Boyd Barrett wants to portray it like that. He said in the debate that we shaved carer's allowance to pay for the back-to-work family dividend. That is not the case. He should look at the budget figures, where it is clearly funded. He is using bluster in tying one thing to the other.

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