Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Social Protection and Social Equality, Willie O’Dea TD, has called on Minister Joan Burton to clarify once and for all what she means by ‘core social welfare rates’.
Deputy O’Dea was responding to Minster Burton saying today that ‘core social welfare rates’ will be maintained at October’s budget.
“It feels like deja-vu with Minister Burton again proclaiming core social welfare payments will be kept intact at the budget. This is the same line that Minister Burton used before last year’s budget and any independent observer would maintain this was certainly not the case.
“Parents in receipt of Child Benefit, Maternity Benefit and the Back to School Allowance; carers in receipt of the Respite Care Grant and elderly people in receipt of the Household Benefits Package will strenuously argue that their core payments were cut.
“Despite repeated calls by Fianna Fáil and many community and voluntary groups for clarification on what is ‘core’ payments are, the Minister has failed to answer.
“This now leaves hundreds of thousands of families throughout the country living in fear as to what will come in October.
“Minister Burton could cut this confusion by defining what these core payments are and removing all doubt.”
