Burton defends lone-parent changes

Tánaiste Joan Burton has rejected claims that changes to the lone-parent allowance to come into force tomorrow mean her party is attacking vulnerable families and has become “anti-women and anti-child”.

The Labour leader was forced to defend the highly divisive financial support changes on the first of a two-day debt on the policy.

Under the current system, affected households whose child is under the age of 16 and are earning €425 or less a week are entitled to €188 in State support every seven days.