Lone parents left in dark over welfare cut

Struggling lone parents were left in the dark over whether their benefits would still be slashed as the Government’s child welfare stance became mired in confusion.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore denied a split in the Government after Social Protection Minister Joan Burton signalled a U-turn on plans to cut off lone parent payments at the age of seven — but only if the finance department funded a radical upgrade of childcare provision in the next budget.

Opponents accused Ms Burton of “outrageous deception” and playing politics with the plight of single parents because she would not take the threatened cuts out of legislation going through the Dáil.