Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Potentially, if they are in full-time education. The purpose of transferring to the transitional jobseeker's payment is to reflect what happens in other jurisdictions which have better child poverty outcomes and to provide a positive framework to encourage lone parents to return to education, training and employment once the youngest child is settled in school. The purpose of the transitional arrangements is to recognise that lone parents have family obligations and the reason we are introducing this arrangement is to give this due recognition. I acknowledge that when people are transitioning back to work while parenting on their own, part-time work, education or training, in particular initially, may be the best option for them.

Providing a strong framework for lone parents in order that they can resume education, training or employment gives them an opportunity to develop their careers as their children grow older. From my constituency work and dealings with people, I know that many women, as they cease having the status of lone parents as their children become adults, regret not having availed of opportunities to establish what they wanted to do and develop a career. The system we are providing for is actually a good one.

I have spoken before about child care. There is still limited child care provision, but I was very happy to provide in this year's budget funding for 6,000 after-school child care places. It was the first time this was provided for in our structure. We must build up our child care family support systems as we proceed. The amendment reflects the realistic options for lone parents, while providing a framework to provide really strong encouragement.