Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

While the Minister is encouraging people to use the payment, will her Department initiate an advertising campaign letting people know that the payment is available? One of the issues is that when the announcements are made, they often go unannounced in the media and people do not know the payments are available. I see that two of the asks of the National One Parent Family Alliance pertain simply to advertising - for example, "Run a widespread public information campaign and issue a clear communication that parents are entitled to receive the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) if they are unable to work due to lack of childcare." The third action states, "Run a public-facing campaign to make tenants and PUP recipients aware of the entitlement criteria for the more flexible form of Rent Supplement." That is a very reasonable ask. The alliance is commending the fact that these measures exist; all it is asking for is that they be advertised more publicly and that one-parent families are made aware of them.

The fourth action states, "Make a double payment of the fuel allowance (€56) for two weeks at the end of January/beginning of February to help low-income households with additional heating costs associated with being home more."

No. 7 states: "Introduce a temporary top-up payment for Qualified Children (€30 per week for children over 12 and €15 per week for children under 12) to help families with the additional cost of food, electricity, internet and communication services, educational resources and indoor social activities." I double up as the spokesperson on education for my party. One of the things we are hearing about quite a bit at the moment is the digital divide that exists in homes. One of the compounding issues is the existence of poverty. It is not just the digital divide, but also increased poverty associated with electricity and broadband costs. Is it possible to provide an additional payment to parents to assist them with these costs that are increasing deprivation?

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