Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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What does the Government have against lone parents? On 2 July next, lone parents working more than 19 hours per week will lose the one-parent family payment when their youngest child turns seven years of age. Up to 32,000 families will be affected by this measure and in many cases their incomes will be slashed by up to €80 per week. By any yardstick or objective analysis, this is a cruel and brutal cut. The Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, has been persistent and consistent in reducing the age threshold for this payment. It was reduced from 14 to 12 years in 2012 and to ten years in 2013 and is now being reduced to seven years. When one takes into consideration that the deprivation rate among lone parents is 230% higher than it is among the general population and 33% higher than it is among those who are unemployed, this measure amounts to a serious attack on the quality of life of lone parents.

The implication from the commentary emanating from the Government and Minister for Social Protection is that lone parents are somehow not doing anything at home when they are looking after children or in part-time employment. The measure is appalling by any standards. The Minister promised the various activist groups that she would not introduce it until a Scandinavian model of child care had been put in place. One newspaper columnist - I believe it was Victoria White - made the telling point that the nearest thing we have to a Scandinavian child care model is the drop-off facility at IKEA stores.

It is insulting to argue that this measure will move people into employment because the proposed cut comes on top of many other cuts introduced in successive budgets. For example, the income disregard for lone parents who secure employment was reduced from €147 to €90, lone parents were effectively barred from vocational education committee and community employment schemes which act as a gateway back into employment and changes were made in the second payment allowance. I ask the Taoiseach, in the interests of social justice and equality, to show a degree of solidarity by not proceeding with this measure and reversing the policy on which the Minister for Social Protection has embarked, which targets and treats one-parent families in a most cruel manner.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I do not accept Deputy Martin's view of what the Government is doing in this area. The reason many people are in great difficulties is the extent of jobless households. What is involved here is a reduction of the disregard not in the rate of payment. The plan set out by the Government is to make work pay in all cases. We cannot allow an economy that is beginning to recover to bypass thousands of families who are locked into jobless households. These households, particularly those where there are children, are at particular risk of joblessness being perpetuated from one generation to the next. We have evidence of this for many thousands of people. The work activation programmes introduced by the Government have transformed the way in which the State supports jobseekers to get back to work and makes work pay.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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How does making people poorer activate them?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The focus in years to come will be to extend services that improve a person's ability to work. The purpose of the reforms introduced by the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection is to reduce long-term social welfare dependency by ending the expectation that lone parents will remain outside the workforce indefinitely. That is what this is about. These reforms aim to provide the necessary supports to lone-parents to help them to access a range of education, training and employment programmes, develop a skill set and, ultimately, secure employment and financial independence.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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They can no longer afford to access education.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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As Deputy Martin is aware, a range of measures has been introduced to assist lone parents. They include the jobseeker's allowance transitional arrangement, the back-to-work family dividend-----

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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----and the re-rating of the family income supplement. All of these measures are designed to assist rather than do down lone parents and give them an opportunity to get back to work. We have also provided enhanced access to the Intreo service and JobsPlus scheme and introduced elements of child care provision. The measure does not involve a reduction in the rate of payment lone parents receive.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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They are all happy.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It is a reduction of €80 a week.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputies should be quiet and listen to the answer.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach is some republican.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is a reduction in the offset that applies to what they can earn at the higher level. The reduction is not in the rate of payment lone parents receive.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Those most damaged by the change are people at work.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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All of the issues and incentives that have been introduced for lone parents are aimed at overcoming the expectation that lone parents will never be able to return to work on a full-time basis or have an opportunity to retrain, upskill or secure financial independence. They are also intended to deal with the expectation that joblessness in households will continue. This is where the real problem lies for many thousands of people and the Minister introduced these reforms to put an end to that.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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What is frightening about the Taoiseach's response is the ignorance it displays in so far as he does not appear to understand the issue. The issue is not a reduction of a payment but the elimination on 2 July of the one-parent family payment when children reach seven years. Does the Taoiseach understand that this is what is happening? I cannot understand how he can credibly come into the House without realising what his Government and Minister with responsibility for welfare are doing. It is a scandal.

The Taoiseach referred to the idea of expectation. As a politician, I have worked with lone parents for many years. The measures introduced in the late 1990s were progressive and there was a progressivity as time evolved in terms of moving into work. It is insulting to lone parents to state there is an expectation that they will be welfare dependent for the rest of their lives simply because they qualify for the one-parent family payment. That is an insult which reflects a mindset and policy orientation that are as Thatcherite as one could get.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Tories.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It is elitism.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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This right-wing attitude has seeped into Fine Gael and, regrettably, the Labour Party.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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It was always there.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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No one is standing back and saying this will hit one-parent families by up to €80.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy should ask a question as we are over time.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The family dividend is worth up to €80. I have a copy of the tables, which show that the elimination of the payment will result in a reduction of €50 in the first year, €65 in the second year and €80 in the third year. I want the Taoiseach to stand back from the gobbledygook and language of social engineering that are emanating from the Department or elsewhere and get down to the reality of families on the ground who will lose a substantial amount of money in addition to all the other cuts. For example, funding of €50 million for the back-to-school allowance has been abolished, maternity benefit is being taxed and the income disregard has been reduced.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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We have been through all that.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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These measures have a cumulative impact on lone parents who, among all the groups in the social welfare code, have been targeted in a most brutal manner. We have inquiries into mother and baby homes and all of that.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I ask the Deputy to recognise the Chair, please.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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This is a new targeting of families who need to be targeted least and require support instead. I implore the Taoiseach to speak to the Minister and prevent this measure from proceeding on 2 July. The silence on the Fine Gael back benches eloquently attests to how correct and accurate I am in describing this issue.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Martin has moved to a point where he expresses his understanding of just how ignorant other people are. This is coming from a person who represented a Government which cut the blind pension and made 12 other cuts in social welfare payments without any discussion.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Did the current Government restore the blind pension to its previous level?

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Quiet, please.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Perhaps the Deputy should reflect on his role in times past.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Answer the question.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The position is that lone parents are not being targeted.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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They are.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, United Left)
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They are.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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They are being supported. The answer to transforming the opportunity for any family is-----

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Give them nothing.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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-----to get away from social welfare dependence and into the world of work.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach is some republican.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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What the Government is doing is introducing a range of opportunities for lone parents and others-----

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Such as.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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-----to be retrained and upskilled to achieve financial independence by getting a job that pays-----

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has taken them from CE and VEC schemes.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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This is absolutely shocking

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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-----either through the jobseeker's allowance transitional payment, the back-to-work family dividend or the re-rating of FIS.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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On which they receive no subsidy.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy has had an opportunity to speak.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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These are all designed to assist people to get away from social protection dependency and into the world of work.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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But they do not.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Does the Taoiseach not understand they are still at a loss?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It was always the case with Fianna Fáil every time it came to a budget that the people concerned were thrown a few more quid to buy them off.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It is a case of throwing them to the lions.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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In this case, we need to transform what we are doing in getting people back into the world of work, including lone parents. Many of them have said to me that this is what they want to do.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Do not cod us.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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They want to be able to find a job.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Did the Taoiseach meet them on the streets?

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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That is an outrageous comment to make, as the Taoiseach knows.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy may well laugh at lone parents if he wants to, but many of them want to move from social protection dependency to financial independence by having an opportunity to go out to work.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Of course, they do, but they also want to mind their children.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The reforms to the schemes are designed to help them to do this.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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How will they pay the child care costs for a seven year old?

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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A seven year old child will be in school.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Fifty two weeks of the year.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Will Members, please, stay quiet?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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When we launched JobsPlus or the jobseeker's allowance, it was perfectly obvious that we had one of the highest rates of jobless households in Europe. That is one of the causes of the financial difficulties people get into.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Therefore, lone parents have to pay for this.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The reforms are designed to help lone parents-----

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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By penalising them.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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-----to achieve financial independence by upskilling and following through to a job that pays and benefits their families.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Taoiseach should talk to the groups.

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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He should speak to the Tánaiste, in particular. She might explain to him what is happening.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Taoiseach comment on the salary increases for special advisers which are in direct breach of Cabinet guidelines? An adviser to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government was paid €85,750 to advise him on everything relating to housing and Irish Water, which is €5,000 above the recommended level. The Minister for Finance who wants to impose austerity on the people of Greece sought to have an adviser paid €3,000 more than the Cabinet guidelines. This was initially rejected because, in the words of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, there was "no compelling reason to sanction the increase," yet five days later, he granted the increase. What was the compelling reason for this? The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources had an adviser put on a salary of €91,624, €12,000 higher than the salary originally offered. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine secured a €25,000 salary increase last July for an adviser. I would like an explanation for these increases. However, this exposes that there is no austerity for the Government. The Taoiseach has created a culture of privilege and a golden circle that rivals the old Fianna Fáil one. Meanwhile the Government has imposed pay cuts on front-line staff, destroyed public services and social protections and cut benefits for the most vulnerable. For example, a special category of lone parents who are also carers will lose €86 per week if the Government goes ahead with its cuts to the one-parent family payment which will push all lone parent families further into poverty. Does the Taoiseach accept that the continued breach of pay guidelines by Ministers for advisers is also in breach of his election promises and much vaunted commitment to the reform of the political system?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I notice that the salaries of special advisers in Northern Ireland have increased from Stg£90,000 to Stg£110,000 and I did not hear the Deputy comment on this.

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It is all right so.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform received claims for increases in salary from a number of Ministers and ruled on them based on experience and competence. Many of the claims were rejected at the levels sought and ruled on by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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That was a short answer which did not deal with the question. The Taoiseach is living in a bubble.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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What about the Deputy's trampoline?

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Every so often when he comes into House, we try to prick his little bubble. It is not surprising that he is insulated from many of these difficulties------

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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There is not much insulation in a trampoline

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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------because he is paid more than the President of France which has a population of 64 million. The Tánaiste's chief of staff is on a salary of €144,550, almost as much as the Taoiseach and the President of France. Her economic adviser is on a salary of €114,424 and she sought to have a former PA put on a salary of €79,401 before eventually settling for a figure of €75,000.

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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What about Sinn Féin's MPs on the Queen's shilling?

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Would it not be great if the Tánaiste negotiated as strongly on behalf of all citizens in difficulty, particularly lone parents?

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy negotiated well for his MPs.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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While she lobbies for these extravagant pay hikes for her advisers, contrary to what the Taoiseach said, she plans to lower the cut-off age for one-parent family payment to seven years from 2 July. A total of 63% of one-parent households are living without basic necessities. How on earth will they live after these draconian cuts are made by the Government? Thousands will be pushed into dire, extreme poverty. In the light of the hardship caused and what is being imposed on citizens through the Government's austerity policies, does the Taoiseach agree that the continued breach of pay guidelines for extremely well paid ministerial advisers is entirely unacceptable? This is the question I asked previously, which he ignored. It is shameful and an insult to citizens. Will he stop these obscene pay rises and halt the cuts to the entitlements of lone parent families?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I have dealt with the question on lone parents. The reforms are being introduced to move people from social protection dependency and give them the opportunity to achieve financial independence by getting a job that pays in their own interests and those of their families.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Halt the cuts.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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We have one of the highest rates of jobless households in Europe, which is the cause of the difficulties for thousands of people in terms of the availability of finance at the end of the week to look after their families, households and themselves. The path out of it, in which the Deputy does not believe, is by giving people jobs and opportunities because work can pay.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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That is so insulting to lone parent families.

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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What about child care?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The reforms are to the disregard to let people have an opportunity to upskill, retrain, get a job and have financial independence. We have created 80,000 new jobs in the past few years, while 40,000 new jobs will be created this year. I hope many of these jobs will go to lone parents who can move into the world of work and have a job that will give them financial independence in order that they will have more money to spend on their families and on the opportunities that present. They can never have this when year after year, generation after generation, there is unemployment and dependence on social protection.

The Deputy referred to living in bubbles. I would like him in some of his statements or tweets to answer the questions I understand have been levelled at his party and the way it raises money.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Are they posed by Fine Gael trolls?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is interesting that Sinn Féin is by now far and away the best resourced party in the country.

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Ours is a 32 county party in two states.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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The allegations are untrue. Why will the Taoiseach not answer the question?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Everybody else seems to have to own up, rightly, about from where the money comes. When the Deputy levels accusations, I do not know whether they are true or false. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has ruled on the appropriate levels for claims for increases. He has shot down most of them and determined what the levels should be.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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What about the ones he has given? Are they okay?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The advisers do a very important job-----

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Of spinning.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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-----in the implementation of the programme for Government. I do not accept Deputy Gerry Adams's assertion. The reason for the reforms is to give people an opportunity, motivation and an incentive to move away from dependence on social protection into the world of work.

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Give to the wealthy. It is not fair.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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What reforms?

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Keeping them dependent is all Sinn Féin is interested in.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I have outlined the reforms for Deputy Micheál Martin on two occasions this morning.

Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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That is insulting to the families.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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The final debate in the Chamber prior to the Christmas recess involved statements opposing domestic violence. It followed an event outside Leinster House on 20 November in memory of the 78 women and children who had been murdered by their partners or former partners.

Agencies tell us that the Christmas period was the worst on record for domestic violence against women - the word "unprecedented" was used - with high levels of physical and sexual violence. Many of these activities were carried out in front of children. We know this is an ongoing problem in society and that there is a culture of silence around it.

We accept that in the main, men are the perpetrators. They are the problem. However, I and others believe men must also be part of the solution. Therefore, today I want to highlight the gaps in services for men who are violent and the gaps in services to prevent violent behaviour. I acknowledge the work of MOVE, men overcoming violence, but there is a need for a dedicated helpline, support groups and a campaign of awareness of the help available. It is vital men are encouraged to acknowledge abusive behaviour and to try to prevent it. This will benefit the person, his family and the community.

I call for a commitment in the House on this. I suggest we start by looking at a pilot programme in this area that will support the work of MOVE, which is not a nationwide programme. We have Cosc, the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence, but its work is concentrated on the victims, a service which is badly needed. However, if we want to stop the cycle of violence, men must be involved. I ask for the various Departments and Cosc to take this on board and that they have the Taoiseach's support on it.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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This issue is a cause for shame in our country and those who inflict domestic violence on women bring shame to the nation. I have met with a number of groups working in this area. The Minister met with all of the groups recently and some moneys have been allocated directly to them for dealing with the problem. The Istanbul convention will be signed and new legislation introduced. The issue of domestic violence is a high priority for the Garda. Having spoken to members of the Garda and having looked at the number of call-outs on domestic violence incidents throughout the country, I know violence against women is a terrible blight on society.

This is a priority issue. The Istanbul convention will be signed and a new package of legislation will be introduced in this area. I accept the Deputy's point regarding the need for a helpline and support group. Some moneys have been provided directly for dealing with the issue and recently a meeting of all of the groups involved was held with a view to getting their views and proposals on how best to deal with the issue.

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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It is positive that there is some movement on this, but the signing of the Istanbul convention will not be enough in itself unless there is proactive engagement on preventing and making unacceptable this type of violent behaviour. Also, those who want help must be able to access that help.

Women are the main victims, but there are increasing numbers of men are suffering domestic violence. There is a particular shame and culture of secrecy in regard to this being acknowledged by men. The organisation Amen tries to support men in this situation. There is nowhere for the abused man and his children to go. We do not have enough refuges for women and children, but there are no refuges for abused men with children who need shelter. I call for the Government to do what it can for abused people, regardless of gender, so that the victim does not have to leave the family home.

Extensive research has been carried out and a report issued at a seminar in December on restorative and transformative possibilities. The report suggests that sexual crime could be included in this regard. It had been felt that sexual crime was not suitable for restorative justice practices. I ask for this to be examined. I would like a response from our national office, Cosc, on the issues I have raised today in regard to male violence, men who are abused and victims. We must be more proactive in regard to victims to ensure they do not have to leave the family home in these situations.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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These matters will be dealt with as crimes. I accept the Deputy's point that signing a convention does not mean the issue will be dealt with and will not happen again. All of the groups were invited by the Minister to attend the seminar recently in Dublin Castle to get their views on a programme of action to be put in place. This is being followed through. Also, the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality will report on the hearings it held in February this year following a number of submissions regarding domestic and sexual violence. The Minister for Justice and Equality will take the committee recommendations seriously when available and will consider them in the context of the proposals that came from Dublin Castle.

Cosc, the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence, is an executive office of the Department of Justice and Equality and it is driving the implementation of the national strategy on dealing with domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in the programme for 2010-2014. The office has commenced a review of that, with a view to devising a new strategy. This will mean new legislation. Cosc's role is to address domestic, sexual and gender-based violence from the perspective of a number of Departments and it endeavours to facilitate co-ordination across the areas of justice, housing, health, education, family support and the community sector. We are well aware of the issues.

The recommendations from the Oireachtas committee and from the groups that participated at Dublin Castle will play an important part in regard to the Minister being able to set out a programme for action. A number of the groups were funded directly from the Department of Justice and Equality, with a view to providing information and education. Hopefully, the committee recommendations and the group proposals will enable the Minister to put in place an effective programme of action to deal with this issue and allow her to sign the Istanbul convention and keep it a priority for the Garda to implement.