Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are working on the report. As it is an in-house report, we are not waiting for external bodies. I would say the maximum period is three months. If I can do it before that, we will talk about it and put it on the schedule for the committee. The Deputy is right. While €431 million is what is budgeted, there is a bit of wriggle room on the basis that it is not what we spent last year. However, this is going to be demand-led. If more is needed, more will be found and that is the end of it. I want to ensure that everyone who should be availing of the scheme does so, not only because of the €10 increase in the threshold but also because some people genuinely do not know about it. They should learn about it, apply for it and get it in order that it can be as effective as it has been for the other families moving from welfare dependency into employment. If we can make those changes around the 19 hours and the 38 hours which are important to Deputy O'Dea to make it more effective and flexible, let us do that. It is taxpayers' money and it is there to help people to move from a culture of dependence on social welfare payments to being wholly independent just by being supported by the State as opposed to being totally supported by the State. Let us do that as soon as we can.

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