Manx Treasury to reintroduce EPA plans as lone parents face school break pressures

With food and fuel poverty an issue in Mann and with last summer's warning from the foodbank about the problems for children from poorer households when there were no school meals I found this initiative on child welfare by the Irish Times of interest (see link below).

Of course things would have become much worse for lone working parents with children if Alfred Cannan MHK Treasury Ministers proposal to adjust Employee Person's Allowance (EPA) entitlement had been rubber stamped by Tynwald. As it was Tynwald for once did the honourable thing and stopped him in his tracks.

The Minister however says he will bring his proposals back in the early summer which coincidentally will be just as struggling WORKING lone parents try to cope with the extra burden of the impending school holiday.
Rather than make life more difficult you would think the Minister would be looking imaginatively at ways to ameliorate pressures for lone working parents outside term times

You really do have to ask who is guiding the Minister and his Treasury colleagues and if they have any concept of the difficulties in the real word for some.

Here is the Irish Times item:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/free-meals-every-day-for-...

Image; The Treasury team - have they any idea how hard it is for lone parents with tight incomes.

Bernard Moffatt
Celtic League