Benefit to be cut for third and later children

CHILD Benefit for the first and second child will remain untouched in today’s budget but it will be cut for third and subsequent children.

The reductions for the latter categories mean Labour will have broken a key election pledge not to cut any Child Benefit rate. But the party is expected to claim that it saved families from cuts across the board.

Social Protection Minister Joan Burton will outline the full detail of changes to the scheme at a press conference this afternoon to discuss how her department has been affected by the budget. But coalition sources confirmed yesterday that: