David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is about choice in the first instance. It is about whether women can work and whether they have the opportunity to work. The Minister of State must realise that many parents have two, three or more children and it may be difficult for them to get a part-time job. Many of them want to work and do work. Those not in a position to work because work is not available or because they cannot get sufficient hours are being penalised. No one wants to see people dependent on social welfare, least of all, the people who are dependent on social welfare themselves. There will always be a tiny minority in any state or population who might depend on welfare. However, the Minister of State will agree that is only a small percentage of people.The reality is there are many lone parents who either want to work or are not in a position to work because of their circumstances and who have been penalised and are worse off because of the changes. They have suffered more hardship because of changes that were made. If one listens to lone parents and their advocate groups, that is what they are telling us. That is what they are telling the Minister of State. They do not have a difficulty with being able to work. They want to work. Many of them will, if they can get more hours if they can go back to work. When we debated this with the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection in 2012 when she first mooted this in the Dáil and Seanad, she was clear and unequivocal that none of this would happen until we had proper so-called Scandinavian child care. That never materialised. That is why many of these women feel betrayed. With the absence of supports, it is not even financially viable for them to work. Many of them, as I said, are in low-paid jobs. Many of them go to work anyway, even though there may not be any significant financial reward for them. They still get up and go to work and do all of these things, but they struggle in low-paid jobs with the cost of child care. These are the ones about whom I would be concerned.

I am not supportive of those who see themselves as dependent on social welfare, but that is not how the majority of lone parents see themselves. I think the Minister of State would acknowledge and accept that and I am not saying that is how he would see it.