Groups welcome Burton’s refusal to cut child benefit

Parents and women’s rights advocates have welcomed indications that further cuts to universal child benefit payments will not be proposed for Budget 2014.

Joan Burton, the social protection minister, is opposing troika orders to cut €440m from her department and wants to cut just €200m at most, as revealed by the Irish Examiner this week.

The deputy Labourleader is also opposed to reducing child benefit payments and is examining cuts to household benefit assistance payments for energy and communications among alternative saving measures.