Government ‘pauperising’ young people, says O’Dea

There were angry exchanges in the Dáil yesterday over the Government’s decision to reduce social welfare payments for the under 26s, with the Labour Party accused of reneging on its promise not to cut basic social welfare payments.

Speaking during Leaders’ Questions, Fianna Fáil’s Willie O’Dea claimed the Government wanted to “pauperise” young unemployed people and quoted Labour’s Eamon Maloney who said the object of the change was to stop the young from watching flat- screen television seven days a week.

On Wednesday, Mr Maloney said: “Parents will tell you that they do not want their children at home watching a flat-screen television seven days a week.”