Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

The family income supplement, as all sides agree, is an important contribution to getting people back to work and out of the poverty trap by assisting families who have difficulties without keeping them entirely in the social welfare system. If they go back to full-time work, they can avail of the family income supplement, which is very important. What we will try to do in the years ahead is to shift the balance in favour of people going back to work.

The Deputy is correct that the take-up in the early part of the scheme was quite low but it has increased significantly in the past year. The figure in 2001 was approximately 11,000 but the number availing of the scheme has increased to approximately 23,000. We have tried to get the information out to all who are potentially recipients and beneficiaries of the scheme.

The family income supplement scheme is important and is one in which I intend to continue, where I can, to invest resources to benefit those who are trying to get back into society and make a contribution. That will be the approach.