Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 6:

In page 18, before section 28, to insert the following new section:

"28.—The Minister shall, within 3 months of the commencement of this Act, lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas, a report on the position of one parent families.".

I proposed this because I am interested in the document launched last week and I have asked that we examine and debate it in this House, which would be worthwhile. Many of its provisions are worthwhile and I like the Minister's thinking on how to support people in their efforts to improve their situation. We give them financial support but also make demands of them and give them the necessary supports to return to the workplace or to education. That is the way forward to help people out of poverty. I am concerned that not everybody is able to return to work. I am talking about lone parents, particularly some mothers who may find it difficult to cope with young children alone. Children might suffer more if their parents went back to work. In encouraging, helping and supporting people to return to work or education we must be careful not to put children in a worse situation.

The cohabitation rule is outdated and needs reform, as proposed in the document. As we have a growing number of lone parents, we therefore have a growing number of young children who in many instances do not know who the other parent, usually the father, is. We should do all we can to ensure that, as far as possible, a child has two parents, regardless of whether the second parent is the natural parent. Although that will not be the case for many, we should encourage two-parent or two-adult families to care for children. The Minister's proposal is worthwhile, as are many other proposals that we will not discuss today. I call for a debate on that document as soon as possible.