Pressure to abandon two-tier benefits

Campaign groups said they are hopeful that income thresholds for a proposed two-tier child benefit system will be reconsidered in order to protect poorer families.

Although there are no definite plans to change the children’s allowance, a recent report by an advisory group on tax on social welfare recommended that payments should be gradually reduced for families earning above €25,000.

Orla O’Connor of the National Women’s Council said the threshold was “simply too low” and would particularly effect “many women who are on low pay and on reduced working hours”.