Burton refuses to rule out cuts to social welfare payments in budget

Joan Burton, the social protection minister, refused to rule out welfare cuts in December’s budget and said finding savings in her department would pose a “major challenge” for the Government.

Cuts of €540m will be made from her department in 2013 and the minister said making this adjustment “while protecting the most vulnerable in society will be extremely difficult”.

Addressing the Oireachtas committee on social protection, she came under pressure to say whether an earlier promise not to cut welfare rates still stood. She said she was “not at liberty” to say because “no decisions” had been made yet.