Social and Family Affairs Minister Mary Hanafin has signalled the Lone Parent Allowance could be phased out once a child reaches the age of 13.

A GOVERNMENT crackdown on welfare fraud has yielded more than €228 million in savings so far this year and has prompted a major surge in the number of reports of suspected fraud by members of the public.

The Government was today tight-lipped on whether the traditional Christmas bonus for social-welfare recipients will be paid this year.

Almost a quarter of a million euro is to be paid out to support groups for the unemployed, it emerged today.