Families hard hit on day one of Irish Budget – and there’s more to come

Minister Noonan sharpens knife for round two of cuts

Larger Text

Print

E-mail

2 Comments

Biting social welfare cuts could push already struggling Irish families into a poverty trap

Photo by Google Images

Tweet

Child benefit will be brought down to just under $200 for all children over the next three years.

 “We can only deal with the reality that we have. It’s the real figures. That’s the reality we are facing now,” added Minister Howlin.

“I’m certainly not in the business of cutting where I don’t have to. If we can provide as best we can the best social protection network to protect the most vulnerable, that’s the objective of this Government.”

Social justice campaigners have already attacked the measures in the new Budget.

A spokesman for the Society of St Vincent de Paul said: “We know that the proposed increases in indirect taxation that have already been flagged by Government will be much harder to bear for those on low incomes and we fear that the families who have been hit today look set to be hit by tomorrow’s announcements as well.”

Age Action said the 20 per cent cuts to fuel allowance would create huge hardship for the elderly.

----------------------

READ MORE:

More news on the Irish economy from IrishCentral

Congressman Peter King slams fellow Republican Newt Gingrich

Christmas outrage in Killarney as six deer are decapitated

----------------------

Print

E-mail

Tweet