Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to add my voice to those who have raised the issue of lone parents. It is appalling that many families who, as we know from the statistics, struggle economically to rear their children and make ends meet, as well as being below the poverty line, are being abandoned by the Government. As Senator Healy Eames said, the Minister gave a commitment that none of this would be triggered until such time as there were adequate child care facilities in place to enable such women to work. The cost of child care in this country is prohibitive for anyone on a modest income. I ask the Minister to revisit the decision at this late stage.

There is an interesting resolution before the 29th session of the Human Rights Council of the UN, which is currently under way in Geneva, entitled "Protection of the family: The contribution of the family to the realisation of the right to adequate standard of living for its members particularly through its role in poverty irradiation and achieving sustainable development." It could not be more pertinent in view of the debate we had today on lone parents. The resolutions includes a number of points. It urges member states to create a conducive environment to strengthen and support all families; underlines that the family has the primary responsibility for nurturing and protecting children from infancy to adolescence; states that the introduction of children to the cultural values and norms of their society begins in the family; urges states to take appropriate measures to ensure that a child is not separated from his or her parents against his or her will, except when competent authorities subject to judicial review determine, in accordance with applicable law and procedures, that such separation is necessary for the best interests of the child; and reaffirms the right of the child to education and states that education should be directed to the development of the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities. Ireland is a member of the UN Human Rights Council. It is more in hope than expectation that I say I expect Ireland to support this, given the record of the Government on child protection and the family. In the event that Ireland does not support or opposes the resolution, I ask that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade come to the House to explain why an anti-family course of action was taken.