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

Deputy Catherine Martin raised the question in another way. I am aware of the concerns of both lone parents and their representatives. Deputy Catherine Martin suggested we might need to meet them to communicate what was going on and identify how the changes would impact on them. Ongoing communication is very important. When we move to the national childcare scheme, it will be based on household income. In the past, certainly on community employment schemes, people gained access to subsidies based on social welfare or other related entitlements. It is shifting towards that. I will try to describe how I think the changes to the community employment scheme should involve the provision of supports which are at least as good, if not better, as we move towards the future.

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