David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Almost every day last week Senator Craughwell and others tried to move a motion he placed, democratically, on the Order Paper. He gave the Minister every opportunity. He did not push the matter to a vote and yet she was not able to come into the House to discuss these changes. This will drive women out of work. That is the core of the argument against these changes. They will not facilitate all those 12,000 mainly women back into work because the work simply is not there for all of them. Even if it were available, they would be unable to meet the cost of child care. That is the reality for many of these families.

I support the sentiments of Senator Zappone who also raises this issue on a regular basis both inside and outside the House. It is not too late. The budget will be introduced later this year. The Government tells us it has €1.5 billion to give away, and we will see all sorts of auction politics over the coming months. Why can it not do something for lone parents now? There is the capacity but it seems the political will is not there. It is important to make the call, on the day this change comes into effect, that the Minister would come into the House to discuss these issues.