Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has said she believes stopping lone parent payments when the youngest child is seven may be too young, unless there was adequate childcare.
Deputy Burton was speaking in the Dáil tonight during a debate on the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill.
Groups representing women and lone parents have said that they are disappointed that the bill is proceeding as it is.
Minister Burton said she would not proceed with the measure unless she receives a commitment in the next Budget on affordable childcare.
Speaking on the issue of social welfare fraud, Minister Burton said her department is cracking down on it.
She said electronically captured photos and signatures will be needed, under the provisions of this bill, for any social welfare claims.
Fianna Fáil's Seán Fleming said measures in the new social welfare bill are an attack on women.
He said he is surprised that the Minister Burton is implementing such measures, which affect people across the board, but the greater number affected will be women.
Deputy Fleming said that many who leave the workforce for a number of years will find it difficult to get to the full 10 years of paid PRSI contribution, required under the new measures.
He said some measures in the bill also attack one-parent families, which by and large are younger females.
Sinn Féin's Aengus Ó Snodaigh said that his party will be opposing the bill because of its impact on lone-parent families.
Deputy Ó Snodaigh said that the Government dropping the cut-off age illustrates that it believes children beyond the age of seven do not need parental care or supervision.
