Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Department's system is changing. Traditionally, departmental officials did not meet people on a one-to-one basis to support them. In the two years of the changes to date, approximately 19,000 lone parents have entered the transitional arrangement, so we now have a great deal of experience of how it works. People are called into group interviews to make them aware of the Department's services, followed by meetings on a one-to-one basis. It is like the Youth Guarantee, in that we are asking people to make life plans for their futures in terms of education, training and employment.

At the height of the boom in 2004, the number of lone parents who were at risk of poverty was four and a half times that of people who were not lone parents. In 2015, the changes have led to that figure decreasing to two and a half times. In any case of which Deputy Durkan is aware, I would ask the person to visit an employment officer and discuss the individual circumstances, and we will see what is possible. Approximately 2,000 parents affected by these changes have increased their hours so as to claim family income supplement, FIS, and are significantly better off financially-----

See this speech in context