Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail)

I support this amendment. Fianna Fáil has withdrawn one amendment under this section. My colleague, Senator Mooney, will resubmit an amendment on Report Stage. I will not cover the ground we have discussed. The Minister gave a commitment in the Dáil that she would not implement the cut from 14 years of age to seven unless there were guarantees to provide adequate child care. On 18 April, the Minister said, "I entirely agree that seven is too young for anyone to seriously contemplate any of these things without there being a system of safe, affordable and accessible child care in place". What the Minister said in the Dáil rings hollow and has no basis in law or in fact. This section comes into operation on 3 May 2012. The Minister mentioned that savings are minimal but it amounts to €112 million over three years. With these changes, there will be a saving of €20 million in 2012. One in four families with children are one parent families.

I agree with one aspect of the Minister's comments earlier in respect of how we define one parent families and the use of that phrase but "one parent family" is the phrase and categorisation we use. Such categorisation is not acceptable in society and people do not treat children differently on the basis of whether they have one parent or two parents or on the basis of the make-up of their families. It should not make a difference. The payment from the State is crucial for children in families with one parent and who are struggling. The cut is very significant. As I mentioned in the debate on section 1 and as Senator Ó Clochartaigh said, we will create two tiers of children of lone parents on the basis of this policy.

The Minister will not accept a compromise outlined in the amendment tabled by Senators Zappone and van Turnhout. The amendment allowed for a three-year run-in but the Minister's measure is effective immediately. The measure will have an immediate impact on 180 families. Why are they different to the thousands of one parent families at present? It is a ludicrous situation and I ask the Minister to give a commitment that there will be no change to the free preschool year in the term of this Government. I have not received an answer to that point. It is the only element of universal child care, where the payment goes directly to the benefit of children. We are being asked to pass legislation with a significant cut to one parent families. The real effect is on children and these changes will force people onto jobseeker's allowance. People working part-time have their incomes supplemented by the lone parent allowance.

The Minister said that jobseeker's allowance is available to people. What happens to someone who is working ten or 12 hours a week and in receipt of the lone parents payment? If the child is now six, the payment will be removed in two years' time. In that case, will the parent give up part-time work and receive jobseeker's allowance?

We are creating another tier of children in this country through the changes in section 4. I cannot understand how the Minister can stand over what she said in the Dáil. It makes no sense. The Minister says that she will not implement the changes. Should I support section 4 on the basis of what she said, to the effect that it does not give effect to the changes in law now? On 18 April, the Minister said, "I entirely agree that seven is too young for anyone to seriously contemplate any of these things without there being a system of safe, affordable and accessible child care in place". If we pass section 4, it gives effect to significant cuts in lone parent family payments with effect from 3 May. Perhaps I am missing something. How does the Minister marry what she said last week with the retention of section 4? If the Minister responsible for this area did not want to implement the changes, she could have excluded the section. She should put it up to her Government colleagues around the Cabinet table and say she will not include the section until she sees what will happen with regard to safe, accessible and affordable child care. What is the point in retaining section 4? Why did the Minister oppose the previous amendment, which would have allowed a three-year run-in?

Fianna Fáil will table an amendment on Report Stage. It was seen as controversial for a senior Minister in Government to say that section 4 did not seem fair. It seemed as if she was putting it up to her Government colleagues to provide the child care measures she wanted and that she would not implement the section if they did not do so. If, by the end of the year, there is no new initiative to provide what the Minister says is safe, affordable and accessible child care, will she bring forward an amendment to remove section 4 of the Bill? How will she deal with that issue? This is crucially important because she sent a message from the Dáil to the public that she was opposed to making this cut. I am looking for clarification in the Seanad. Will the Minister give me a commitment that there will be no change to the free preschool year provision during the term of office of the Government?