– One parent families face €80 a week reduction –
ONE parent families in Limerick are to face further cuts this year as a result of regressive measures brought in by the Government. Further reductions to the One Parent Family Payment will come into force this July, resulting in families losing up to €80 a week.
Fianna Fail Deputy Willie O’Dea commented, “Nationally more than 40,000 families will be affected by these sneaky measures which were introduced in the 2012 Budget. Since then the Government has been gradually reducing the age threshold for entitlement, excluding more and more families from the payment. This year anyone who started claiming before the 27th April 2011 will see the age threshold slashed from 16 to 7, resulting in massive cuts to their weekly payments.
“Thousands of parents across Limerick are worried about the impact that these cuts will have on their families. Many parents are already extremely stretched financially, with high childcare and education costs. This payment may be the difference between them staying on in work or leaving employment and entering the welfare system.
“Minister Joan Burton has been chipping away at the One Parent Family Payment over the past 4 years, to the point where it is forcing parents out of the workplace. Her promises that core social welfare payments would be protected ring hollow with parents who are at the receiving end of these callous cuts.
“I want to pay tribute to Single Parents Acting for the Rights of Kids (SPARK) for the tireless work they do in raising awareness and supporting one parent families in the face of these cruel and underhand cutbacks.”
