THE DEPARTMENT of Social Protection has denied claims from Fianna Fáil that cuts to childcare provision for one parent families due to take effect next week are “sneaky”.
A spokeswoman for Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said “reforms” being introduced in the Social Welfare Bill had been widely publicised since they were announced on budget day last year. However, Fianna Fáil spokesman on public expenditure Seán Fleming yesterday accused Ms Burton of introducing “sneaky cuts” to the benefits currently available to lone parents.
He said the debate about the Bill had focused on the impact of plans to restrict welfare support to lone parents once their youngest child reaches seven. “This has disguised the fact that from next Thursday, when the Social Welfare Bill becomes law, new applicants for the one parent family payment will not qualify if their child is aged 12 years or older. In addition to this, in just seven months time the qualifying age will be reduced to 10 years,” he said.
Ms Burton’s spokeswoman said changes were introduced last year and reduced the age of the youngest child to which payment could be made to 14 years.
