Tánaiste: Govt cutting payments for Communions and Confirmations

The Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has said the Government is cutting exceptional needs payments

for Communions and Confirmations, in order to bring lavish costs under control.

Last year, the Department of Social Protection spent €3.4m on such payments to struggling parents to pay for Confirmation and Communions. The average payment was €242.

However, the Tánaiste has said the Government is concerned that the cost of Communions and Confirmations are spiraling out of control.

He said the Social Protection Minister Joan Burton is taking steps to cut the payments being made to families.

Mr Gilmore said: "You know there is a lot of very lavish expenditure in some cases associated with Communions and Confirmations, and I know that many parishes and many schools are anxious to try and get the kind of costs associated with these events under control.

"As a result of that, Ms Burton has decided that, as part of the changes she is making to the guidelines, to limit those payments in future to €110 in each case."