Family income supplement is currently available to employees on low earnings with children. A significant number of improvements to FIS were provided for in the 1996 budget, including an increase of £10 in the weekly income limits used to determine entitlement, thereby ensuring that most recipients will receive an increase of £6 per week. Other improvements in FIS, which came into effect earlier this month, include a reduction, from six to three months, in the minimum period which the employment is expected to last; a reduction in the number of hours which must be worked in order to qualify for FIS, from 20 hours per week to 38 hours per fortnight; the extension of FIS to job-sharers and increasing the rate of FIS payable on the birth of a child, rather than awaiting the annual review of entitlement.
The Government is committed under the programme of renewal to further enhancing the system of child income support. Various options are being examined by the expert working group on the integration of tax and social welfare. The group's final report will be published within the next few weeks. The report's recommendations will be studied by my Department in the context of the programme for Government. As the Deputy will know, self-employed people whose income falls below the rate of unemployment assistance appropriate to their family circumstances are entitled to claim unemployment assistance. The rate of unemployment assistance payable depends on their means. In assessing means, account is taken of the net income which the applicant may reasonably expect to receive in the next year.