Taoiseach defends disability cuts and advisor salary

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has defended cuts to disability welfare payments while at the same time authorising a €35,000 pay hike for his former communications director.

Mr Kenny has come under fire in the Dáil for the cuts to new entrants on certain disability payments which the Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said are "cold, calculating and callous".