Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Fahey, to the House and congratulate the Minister, Deputy Brennan, and his Department on their work in preparing this legislation. The Bill reflects the social changes of recent years because it brings the total Government expenditure on social welfare to €15.3 billion this year. That means that for every €3 spent by the State in current expenditure this year, almost €1 of it will go on social welfare payments.

There are many measures in the Bill that will rightly make a major difference to numerous sections of society but the area on which I want to concentrate is that of lone parent families and deserted wives. These issues can have a major impact on other areas of social welfare support. For example, it is well known that child poverty is particularly common among lone parent families. Nothing is more challenging than raising a family alone. Lone parents face one of the most difficult challenges one can expect in life. Thankfully, the measures in this Bill will help them.

Section 22 provides for an increase from €375 to €400 in the upper earnings limit for customers in receipt of one parent family payment. That increase will come into effect from May. This is one of the proposals contained in the discussion paper launched by the Minister on the topic of supporting lone parent families this time last year. The document contained other proposals that included the expansion of the availability and range of education and training opportunities available for lone parents. It also contained a proposal for the extension of the national employment action plan to focus on lone parents and the introduction of a new social assistance payment for low income families with young children. That is one of the important areas because I have had many requests from lone parents who found themselves in difficulty but this Bill will make a major difference to their education.

Putting in place an education and training programme to lure lone parents back into education, once their children are in school, is a way of integrating them and giving them a standing in society. These are all valuable goals and the Department is well on the way to achieving them.

The proposed social assistance payment being developed by the Department will help provide the type of financial independence that will allow lone parents and other disadvantaged groups enter into the labour force. I would caution the Minister, however, that other areas, particularly child care, will need to be fully developed if lone parents are to take advantage of these opportunities. I am aware the Minister and the Department are working on the development of co-ordinated support with other relevant Departments and I hope that work will shortly reap dividends.

Lone parents must have the necessary supports. If we want to introduce all these extra measures for them we must have the infrastructure in place.