The most vulnerable in our society

On tonight's programme, Kieran Allen, Louise Bayliss, Donal Donovan and Jim Power. While the IMF report praises Irish policymakers in Ireland for placing the burden of fiscal adjustment on the well-off, the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill proposes to cut the lone parent payment. Is this unfair? Or is it necessary for welfare reform and labour activation? Vincent Browne shares thoughts (and facts) before the programme. {jathumbnailoff}

The Social Welfare and Pensions Bill to be introduced in the Dáil tomorrow will impact severely on single mothers. Among the measures that will affect them are:

 - Lone parents will have to pay €6 more a week in rent because of the changes in rent supplements.

 - The cut in the fuel allowance will cost lone parents €120 per week.

- Lone parents with more than two children will lose €228 in welfare payments for the third child and €432 for a fourth child.

- The cuts in community employment schemes will also impact on may lone parents.

How is it that this group, among the most vulnerable in our society, are targeted with such cuts, at a time when - according to the CSO - the richest 10% of earners saw their incomes rise by 8% in 2010 and almost certainly more so again in 2011?

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