Madam, – Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin has said she hopes to remove any obstacles to lone-parents on social welfare payments taking up employment. All those like myself who have been involved in this area for decades will wish her well. I have been associated with and patron of One Family (formerly Cherish) since 1972.
As Ms Hanafin will know, more than 60 per cent of those drawing the allowance are already in work, but it is usually low-paid and part-time.
A national survey carried out by One Family and supported by the Department of Social and Family Affairs last year showed that 84 per cent of respondents were in jobs, seeking work or in education and training.
Motivation to get into employment does not seem to be the problem. Therefore the problems are structural.
Lone parents have similar problems to all parents. Balancing work and childcare is very difficult. I found this to be so, and I was in well-paid employment.
Parents must care for their children as well as being available for work. Childcare facilities are woefully inadequate and expensive in Ireland. I do not know to what extent the promised free pre-school education for all three-year-olds has materialised. And it is not just small children who need care – teenagers do, too.
While the Minister suggests terminating payments when the youngest child is 13, after-school care is non-existent in most places. I am sure she does not want to see any children, be they of lone parents or others, unsupervised.
Neither of the above problems for all parents has been addressed with any degree of serious commitment by the Government. There is no tax relief for childcare.
Flexible working hours are also a pressing need for parents. If there are two parents, it is easier to bring up children and work outside the home, but all parents have similar needs to lone parents. Everyone today is having difficulty finding jobs, particularly sustainable employment. The Minister must be careful her experiments do not compromise our children. – Yours, etc,