Cabinet forced to reverse ‘foolish’ cutback

THE Government has been forced into an embarrassing climbdown over its controversial cutback in social welfare benefits for widows and widowers.

Lobby groups and the opposition were yesterday confident Social and Family Affairs Minister Mary Coughlan would this week announce a reversal of an ill-founded decision aimed at saving a tiny fraction of the multi-billion euro social welfare budget.

Age Action Ireland said yesterday it was heartened by Tánaiste Mary Harney’s weekend comments to distance the PDs from one of the meanest of Ms Coughlan’s ‘Savage 16’ cuts.