Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The statistics that Deputy Smith adverted to are very simple. The latest figures show that 22%, which is more than one in five, of children of lone parents are living in permanent poverty. It also shows that almost 60% of children of lone parents, which is three out of five, are suffering deprivation. They are deprived of some of the things that make up a decent standard of living. All the experience, both anecdotal and otherwise, shows us that the net effect of the changes introduced by the former Minister, Deputy Joan Burton, is that lone parents, especially working lone parents, are worse off so there is a direct link between the rising rate of child poverty among lone parents and these changes. Will the Minister do a financial impact study? A number of organisations, such as SPARK, have done very good financial impact studies that show the impact of those changes. What is the rationale? His predecessor said it was to get more lone parents out to work. How does one get more people out to work by ensuring that when they go out to work, they will get less income?

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