Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 215: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason social welfare increases were not awarded from 1 January 2005, as had been the case in the previous two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4310/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The approach to determining the effective dates for increases in social welfare weekly rates of payment following December's budget was the same as in previous years. The effective dates of increases for each scheme are determined by reference to the payment weeks for each scheme, which may commence on different days of the week, and the fact that some schemes are paid in advance and some in arrears. The effective date varies for different schemes depending on the year in question and does not necessarily coincide with the first day of January. Over the period from 1997 to 2002, the Government brought forward the effective dates of increases in weekly rates by 23 weeks and all increases in these rates are now due with effect from the first week of January.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs his policy in respect of the eligibility for unemployment benefit of mothers who give up work due to the cost of child care exceeding their net wage or reducing it to a negligible amount; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4312/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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A person is regarded as being available for employment if he or she is prepared to accept any offers of suitable full-time employment. In considering entitlement under this condition, account is taken of the person's skills, qualifications and experience, duration of period of unemployment and the availability of job vacancies in the locality. The question of specific support for the costs of child care is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform whose Department administers the equal opportunities childcare programme under the national development plan.

My Department administers the family income supplement, FIS, scheme, an in-work income support designed to provide cash support for employees on low earnings with families, to help preserve the incentive to remain in employment in circumstances where the employee might only be marginally better off than if they were claiming other social welfare payments. A range of improvements introduced to FIS in recent years, including the assessment of entitlement on the basis of net rather than gross income and the progressive increases in income limits, has made it easier for lower income households to qualify under the scheme.