Nicky McFadden (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 17:

In page 6, before section 4, to insert the following new section:

"4.—The Minister shall, within three months of the commencement of this Act, lay before each House of the Oireachtas, a report on the number of eligible persons and proportion thereof availing of the Family Income Supplement.".

I am aware that this scheme is not availed of as much as it could be. Despite the fact the Government wants more lone parents to return to work, the budget has not been clearly welfare-to-work-proofed. Part-time workers stand to lose €2.40 from the family income supplement payment. Such workers can claim a reduced level of one-parent family payment as their income is so low and they will benefit from the increase in this payment. However, because the increase in the family income threshold was lower than the increase in the basic social welfare payment, this is reflected in the family income supplement means test and the effect is that the family income supplement will be lower for this group in 2008 because of the budget. I would like the Minister to comment.