Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We are fully committed to a whole-of-Government approach to reducing child poverty. We understand that addressing child poverty requires access to adequate resources and that this issue is related to income, specifically, as the Deputy noted, changes in household incomes. This is not the only way we are addressing child poverty. Other areas being addressed include access to affordable quality services and children's right to participate. My Department's role in providing access to affordable quality services for children includes heavy investment in the affordable child care scheme. A number of measures in the programme for Government are directed at lone parents.

On the issues the Deputy raised, the Minister for Social Protection is working on a new initiative on working family payments. It focuses specifically on reducing child poverty and ensuring greater access to employment, particularly for lone parents. This is where we hope to address some of the issues the Deputy has identified.

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