Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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87. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the childcare supports available to one-parent families. [36287/22]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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The recent Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, report entitled Headline Poverty Target Reduction in Ireland and the Role of Work and Social Welfare found that lone parents and working-age adults with disabilities experienced distinctively higher rates of income poverty, deprivation and consistent poverty. In light of that, yesterday the Social Democrats tabled a motion calling for action on the cost of disability. Today, I want to highlight the needs of lone parents, who are being overwhelmed by the cost of childcare.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Significant investment is being allocated by the Government to support families, including one-parent families, with the costs of early learning and childcare. Under the ECCE scheme, all children are supported to access up to two years of preschool education without cost, and 95% of eligible children are availing of this programme. Moreover, the NCS is supporting thousands of families to offset their early learning and childcare costs. We undertook a review of the NCS, the results of which were published late last year. The review showed that for the families using it, 38% had more than half of their early learning and childcare costs covered by the scheme; 56% of families had more money to spend due to the scheme; and 28% families were working more because of the scheme, with 8% reporting that they would not be in work without it.

Single parents working part-time or not working were most likely to report they were using paid early learning and childcare or using more hours of early learning and childcare because of the NCS. Approximately half of one-parent families that responded did so. The greatest perceived impacts on work were reported by single parents, with almost two thirds of single parents working part-time and almost half of single parents working full-time, reporting that they were either working or working more because of the NCS. Single parents working full-time were most likely to report that the NCS had a positive impact on family finances. A quarter reported that they had more money to spend because of the scheme, while a further half reported that they had slightly more money to spend.

The review of the NCS was undertaken before the introduction of enhancements that I announced in last year's budget. I believe they will improve the situation further. I recognise, however, that the burden of early learning and childcare remains too high and that we need to do more to support all families, including one-parent families. In this context, I have signalled that I will be prioritising further investment in the NCS in budget 2023, with a focus on substantially improving affordability for families.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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The discussion in the Joint Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth of child poverty was quite harrowing. We heard how the lack of supports for lone parents was a major driver of deprivation. Exorbitant childcare costs mean it is more economic for parents in many families to stop working or reduce their working hours. It is primarily the mother who does so. For one-parent families, this leaves them no choice but to limit their employment altogether. This cohort, which is primarily composed of younger women, needs more tailored support. Instead, at the moment they are being overlooked.

At the committee, groups like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and One Family highlighted issues concerning the cliff edge for working lone parents due to the arbitrary cut-off for the jobseeker's transition payment. Education pathways and grants can be equally restrictive. I recognise 100% that many of these issues relate to Departments other than the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, but it is children who ultimately suffer. What steps can the Minister take to support lone-parent families in the unique challenges that they face?

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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On the specific issue of childcare, which is directly within my control, we have demonstrated through the research that the NCS is delivering for one-parent families. Since the report was compiled, we removed the deduction of wrap-around care for children whose parents are not in work or further education. That will benefit approximately 5,000 young children, including some of those most at risk of poverty. It is a significant innovation, which we were able to bring in early, in May this year. As I have said before, we are looking to invest more money in the NCS this year and, again, that will benefit more one-parent families.

I take the Deputy's point on the wider measures, particularly those in the area of social protection. I engage with the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, on these issues as part of the pre-budget process and I will be doing so again this year.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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Ultimately, this comes back to the need for quality, accessible early years and school-age childcare. Privatisation and the neoliberal model are failing everybody - children, families and workers in the sector. While I recognise the changes that have been made, I must point out that they were not sufficiently targeted at those most disadvantaged under the current system. Lone parents, parents of children with disabilities and others need specialised supports and an integrated approach involving other Departments. The only way that can happen is by working with the representative organisations and advocates in advance of the budget. Those organisations need a commitment from the Minister that he will engage with and listen to them and to the lone parents who experience poverty due to State policies.

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I disagree with the Deputy slightly on targeting, particularly regarding the removal of wrap-around hours. That certainly targets the most vulnerable children, namely, those whose parents who are not in work or study. The change was a direct response to advocacy I received from a range of representative groups across the early learning and childcare sector, including the community sector and especially communities from which there was specific advocacy in this regard. This was a change they welcomed.

Regarding the input from other Departments, a range of changes were made in the past two budgets, including in respect of the working family payment and the one-parent family payment and in terms of the increase for a qualified child, IQC, provision. These changes are welcome but we must continue to do more. That certainly will be part of our advocacy. The announcement this week by the Ministers for Education and Public Expenditure and Reform, ,Deputies Foley and Michael McGrath, respectively, regarding additional back-to-school supports will benefit the children who need that support the most.