Burton defends Labour whip over One Parent Allowance row

Tánaiste Joan Burton has defended her party's chief whip, who told voters he opposes cuts to welfare payments for single parents.

Emails have emerged showing how Emmet Stagg told a constituent he was unhappy with the changes to the One Parent Family Allowance.

The payment was cut last week leaving around 6,000 single parents worse off by up to €200 a month. However, as whip, Deputy Stagg's role was to make sure that Labour TDs voted in favour of the change.

However, Joan Burton has told the Dáil that her whip is fully on board with the proposals and supports them completely.

During a heated debate in the chamber, Burton said: "Deputy Stagg actually said … that in fact, the reform, was a good reform," she said.

In his letter to a consituent, Stagg had said he was in favour of the legislation in 2012. “I was told and expected that the child care system that was promised would be put in place before this last and most severe of changes," he wrote.

Deputy Stagg later told RTÉ News that he is aware that the letter has been made public, and he “has no problem with this”.

He said that he “stands over his remarks and does not regret making them”, RTÉ reported.