Ó Cuív accuses welfare groups of ‘scare tactics’

MINISTER for Social Protection Éamon Ó Cuív last night accused welfare campaigners of “scare tactics”, at the same time as the Government was accused of the same charge over its plans to force people on benefits onto work incentive schemes.

The minister dismissed analysis of the Government’s four-year plan by Social Justice Ireland as “utter nonsense”, after the group had suggested a single person on benefits could face a weekly drop of €40 or more, and up to €62 a week, by 2014.

Seán Healy, director of Social Justice Ireland, reiterated the claims yesterday. He said: “If contributory and non-contributory pensions are to be excluded and the reduction is spread across all other payments it will mean the equivalent of a reduction of €62 a week for single people and €99 a week for a couple, ie down from €196 a week in 2010 to €134 in 2014 for a single person.