Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Let me refer to last year's Social Welfare Act. Significant changes were made to the lone-parent family payment in that legislation but it was only this week that lone-parent families have been notified by the Department of some changes being made, with effect from 1 January, and others that will come into effect from next summer. The latter changes have been postponed. It was awful for the Department to write to affected individuals about the earnings disregard and other changes only a week before Christmas, although these changes were flagged by the Government in its budget last year. Some of the changes were made a number of years ago. Why is the Department of Social Protection only writing now to those who are statistically the most vulnerable in society? Lone-parent families are the most vulnerable and poor. What is occurring is shameful. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business so the Minister for Social Protection can discuss this matter in the Chamber for 15 minutes in advance of our consideration of the Social Welfare Bill.