Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes, the person concerned is working 15 hours a week spread over three days. A mother who works 20 hours a week will receive family income supplement. Her take home pay will be down €70 a week.

I am obliged to ask why these people should work. Lone parents who work will be financially disadvantaged by new legislation which is due to come into effect next Thursday. This runs counter to Government policy. The Minister of State did not vote for this and neither did I. We voted to put in place a measure to enable lone parents – mothers or fathers – to work. Now they will be disadvantaged if they work. Where is the incentive to work here? Work is vital but we still do not have an affordable child care programme available. The position in rural areas is quite bad. In one instance a child care place was available only if the parent was willing to drive 45 miles each way from the workplace. That is a joke. Another lone parent who contacted her local social welfare office regarding the after-school scheme was sent away twice with no information. On the third attempt she was told that the person in charge was out of the office. After a lengthy exchange of e-mails, the parent was advised that she was not eligible for the scheme, even though - following six years of unemployment - she had re-entered the workforce just as the scheme commenced.

I rest my case and look forward to the Minister of State's answer. I really hope we can resolve this anomaly together in the interests of people who are parenting and who also want to work. We must assist them in doing both.