Taoiseach urged to give clarity to families

Child benefit cuts which would hit middle income families hardest have not yet been considered, the Taoiseach said, as he was urged to give more clarity to worried parents.

One minister said the Coalition has to give consideration to proposals to reduce the allowance from €140 to €100 over a phased basis and redistribute it to poorer parents.

“A lot of people rightly raised the issue that ‘is it fair that very high income earners are getting the same support through child benefit that people on low income are getting?’” said Simon Coveney, the agriculture minister.