THE Progressive Democrats have rejected criticism that they lack compassion in proposing measures to keep single mothers in the family home. However, they have not elaborated on what these measures might be.
The party leader, Ms Mary Harney, yesterday said her policy was compassionate. The status quo, as supported by the Government, had failed. "What is the Government suggesting as an alternative? Let us hear some imaginative proposal from them and let us sit down and debate the issue."
However, this was rejected by the Minister for Social Welfare, Mr De Rossa. "The Government has set up a high level inter departmental group of officials which, together with expertise from the Combat Poverty Agency, National Social Services Board and the ESRI, is examining the issue of payments to different kinds of families and households.
"This group will report back to Government in March of next year and will give pointers - or perhaps options - for future policy in this area."
Ms Harney's proposal in the PDs election manifesto, published on Thursday, was also attacked by Fine Gael. Mr Dukes, the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, said it paid little attention to the environment which may exist in the home. "It is quite possible under Mary Harney's draconian plan that a young teenage mother could be forced to expose her child to the same level of sexual abuse that she herself may have suffered."
Mr John Murray, a spokesman for Ms Harney, said there was no question of making young mothers live in dysfunctional families. Asked how the suitability of the family home would be established, he said: "You would get a qualified social worked to judge on a case by case basis.
Mr Murray added: "We want a certain tweaking of the system to encourage young mothers to stay at home." Asked how his party would "encourage" young mothers to stay in the family home, Mr Murray said there might be an allowance to the parents in cases of financial hardship.
The director of the children's chanty, Barnardos, said a family; was often the best place for a young, single mother. "But you can't legislate for it. You can't sit in Dail Eireann and tell people how to live their lives. All families need their own tailored response. You should support them to stay within their families if that is the right option for them. But if it is not, they should still be supported."
Ms Maria O'Reilly, of Barnardos's Family Services in Tallaght, said a young mother and her child would put a burden on a lot of families that they could not sustain. "There are advantages to having grandparents, brothers and sisters involved. But it just doesn't always work." Ms Aileen Courtney, from Barnardos in Loughlinstown, Co Dublin, said her centre dealt with several situations where a young parent moved into a three bedroom house where there were 13 or 14 people. "Trouble and strife is caused in those families. There is one young family moving around from relative to relative. They don't know where they're sleeping that night." The National Women's Council chairwoman, Ms Noreen Byrne, called on all political parties to define a strategy which would lead to greater responsibility among young people and reduce the number of pregnancies among teenagers.