John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach stated that everybody suffered during the austerity years but the ESRI report shows that the most vulnerable in our society, lone parents and people with disabilities, suffered more than anybody else. These figures are borne out in the latest SILC report which was published last year. It shows that there has been an increase in the at-risk poverty rate for lone parent families to 40.2%.

Fine Gael has been in government since 2011. These reports relate to the period between 2004 and 2015. Last week, Sinn Féin published a report that shows how lone parent families could be lifted out of the poverty and calling for the establishment of a child maintenance service. All the reports indicate that child maintenance is essential to help lift children out of consistent poverty levels. Sinn Féin outlined in its report how this model could be rolled out in this State. Has the Taoiseach read the report which I published last week. In March last year, the UN criticised Ireland for not having such a child maintenance service in place. Will the Taoiseach consider the establishment of such a service in Ireland?

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