Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has mentioned a very specific sector there and I know Intreo services do look at skills shortages, try to match people with them and work with industry as well. We will take that point back to see if that is not already in the mix with regard to what Intreo is doing.

Figures provided by the CSO find that the employment rate for lone parents has increased from 64.8% in quarter 2 of 2019 to 67.1% in quarter 2 of 2023. There was a drop during the Covid-19 pandemic but we are back on the right trajectory.

Separate from this Department is a key improvement the Deputy will see helping the situation and giving people more options, and that is the investment in childcare by the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. Childcare is a key issue with regard to allowing lone parents to access the labour market, and the significant investment of the last two years will, in time, also see greater participation rates in the employment markets in that regard.

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