Ó Cuiv refuses to rule out cuts to child benefit

Minister for Social Protection Eamon Ó Cuiv is not ruling out cuts to child benefit in the upcoming Budget.

Yesterday the British government announced that payments will be withdrawn from higher-rate taxpayers from 2013.

Today Minister O'Cuiv said every area of public spending will have to be looked at ahead of December's Budget.

However the Minister said there would be huge complexities involved in cutting child benefit here.

"Basically we are at the early stage of the Budget at the moment," Minister Ó Cuiv said.

"However I have to point out that there are huge complexities in doing it (cutting child benefit) through the tax system, and one thing you cannot constitutionally do… is anything that disadvantages families.

"We have looked at what they have done in Britain… we'll have to look at all of these issues in our context."

Minister Ó Cuiv indicated that the departments of Social Protection, Health and Education look set to bear the brunt of cutbacks.

The Government has already signalled that it will have to make savings of at least €3bn in the Budget - a figure the Central Bank says is not sufficient.