GOVERNMENT plans to
force single parents dependant on social welfare
into the workforce cannot proceed until adequate
supports such as affordable childcare and transport
are in place," according to a Buncrana councillor.
Cllr. Daren Lalor said the proposed welfare reforms
would force lone parents to seek work when their
youngest child reaches the age of eight.
"However, at the age of eight a child attends school
from nine in the morning until approximately half
two in the afternoon.
"That would mean a single parent looking for a job
with working hours of nine in the morning till half
two and that's only if the parent does not have to
get the child to and from school. The reality is
that jobs with these hours are few and far between,"
said the Sinn Féin councillor.
He said another problem was the lack of affordable
childcare.
"With childcare costs soaring, lone parents would
need to find high paying jobs and, given the often
low levels of educational achievements among welfare
dependant lone parents, this is highly unlikely,"
added Cllr. Lalor.
"Surely it would therefore be a much more positive
proposal to bring welfare dependant parents into the
education system before forcing them into the
workforce."
He called on the Government to abandon its plans
until adequate supports such as childcare and
transport are in place and educational deficits are
made up. "To do otherwise would be to force lone
parents into low paid jobs that are of no long term
benefit and placing them at a greater risk of
poverty." |
