Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the details of the pilot scheme for lone parents which has been running, including any evaluation undertaken into the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32762/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Government discussion paper, "Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents," put forward proposals to tackle obstacles to employment for lone parents and other low income families. Under the proposals the lone parenthood category of payment would no longer exist. Instead, a new payment would be made to all parents (living alone or with a partner), with young children, on low income. The non-income recommendations contained in the discussion paper were examined in two areas: Coolock and Kilkenny. These studies, which took place between November 2007 and February 2008, were carried out to facilitate the development of the policy and operational details of the new scheme. The process involved both lone parents and qualified adults and was on a voluntary basis; the take-up was low. However, the experience has highlighted how both lone parents and qualified adults are not a homogenous group, are of different ages, have experienced different routes into their current situation and have different needs.

Educational levels of those who participated were generally low, there was little or no engagement with FÁS, some participants intended to return to full or part-time work when their child was a few months old; others, however, had been out of the work force for a considerable period of time. Earnings from previous employment were generally low. In Kilkenny access to transport was an issue with regard to taking up employment or training, with those outside the city of Kilkenny having problems in this regard. For almost all of those intending to return to work affordable child care is a critical issue. The experience of this engagement process is feeding into the development of our approach to working with lone parents and qualified adults to support them into education, training and employment.

Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 138: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties caused to an organisation (details supplied) in County Donegal by the withdrawal of funding; if she will have this case re-assessed with a view to reinstating funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32688/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am committed to supporting families and value the role that the Family Resource Centres play in communities all over the country. Funding from the Family Support Agency helps with staffing and equipping these centres. By the end of 2007, the number of Family Resource Centres had expanded from an original 10 to 106 nationwide. The funding for the Programme increased from €317,000 in 1994 to nearly €19 million in 2007.

In the context of the National Development Plan, it was intended to expand the number of Family Resource Centres by up to 6 centres this year and to provide some existing ones with additional staff. The organisation referred to by the Deputy was one of the projects in line for inclusion in the Family Resource Centre Programme. However, as part of the Government's collective approach to controlling short-term expenditure in the interests of Ireland's future prosperity, with the exception of a new centre in Killeshandra that was approved earlier this year, no new Family Resource Centres will open in 2008. It will also not be possible to increase the staffing complement of the existing centres. Government support for family services will however remain strong. Last year, additional staff were funded for 40 Family Resource Centres. It should also be noted that in June I approved counselling grants of almost €11 million to 600 voluntary and community groups supporting families nationwide.