A group representing one-parent families is demanding a statutory maintenance agency after a survey showed that some families are owed as much as €6,000 per child.

THE Irish Brokers’ Association has welcomed the decision by the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) to start issuing Government bonds specifically aimed at Irish-managed pension funds, but has said that the failure to remove other restrictions for the investment of funds continues to hamper economic growth.

Cutting pensions will be a life and death issue, a leading charity warned politicians today.

The Minister for Social Protection Eamon O'Cuiv has said there are no plans to bring back the Christmas bonus for social welfare recipients this year.