The allowance given to foster carers is to rise to €70 per week from tthe current €40, the Finance Minister said today.

He said that there were 400 children being brought up outside the nuclei of their natural family, and who were found in residential homes and with foster families.

He said that the age for assistance by foster carers will increase up to 21 years for those youths who are still studying or are following a training programme approved by the ETC.

Assisting single mothers

The minister said single mothers would continue to be helped inthe spirit of solidarity.

"We will continue assisting our families and those parents who are bringing up their children alone, with all possible means. However, we believe we should assist them, also, to keep themselves active in the area of training and work, so that they can be better integrated in society, while they will be in a better position to improve their way of life over and above dependency.

"For this purpose, with the help of ETC and other Entities, we envisage that these persons will be receiving all the training and assistance required so that they too will be integrated in the work market as quickly as possible," the minister said.

One of the ETC schemes would also offer assistance in childcare costs to those who undergo this training.