Republic's Welfare Cuts Face Opposition

Brian Lenihan's welfare cuts in the Irish Republic are facing significant threat from the Opposition parties in the Dáil along with the State's largest union's.

On Tuesday, the Finance Minister (pictured) confirmed the minimum wage would be cut by 12%, a measure understood to have been the result of a demand by the International Monetary Fund, while reductions would also be made to child benefit by €10 per week for one child and €20 for additional children.

This morning, a Fine Gael spokesman said it will oppose the Social Welfare Bill this evening unless the Government agrees to reverse "cruel" social welfare cuts for blind people, widows, carers and people with disabilities.

Social Protection spokesman Michael Ring was speaking about the allowance cut for carers of up to €416 a year adding he would be tabling amendments to reverse the cuts this evening.

"There is no Croke Park Agreement for carers, or blind people, widows, and people with disabilities. Carers are the one group that actually work for their payment. Ireland has more than 161,000 carers who save the State €2.5 billion each year by looking after their loved ones. Yet their allowance has been slashed by €416 a year.

"There is only so much pain that people can take, and these cuts go too far. There is a fairer way to make savings. That way was set out by Fine Gael last week in our alternative Budget, which would have protected payments to these vulnerable groups."

Meanwhile, Union umbrella body, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), has announced it will write to its 600,000 members listing the names of TDs who back a €1 per hour cut to the minimum wage.

The Congress' general secretary David Begg said there was no fiscal or economic reason to cut the minimum wage and it was being done solely so employers could put an extra €40 a week per worker into their pockets.

"The national interest stuff is a load of guff in relation to this provision," he said. "It was a political choice and very deliberately made."

(DW)