Cuts will put more at risk of homelessness, say agencies

SOCIAL WELFARE REACTION: ADVOCACY GROUPS have reacted negatively to Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan’s decision to cut certain…

SOCIAL WELFARE REACTION:ADVOCACY GROUPS have reacted negatively to Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan's decision to cut certain welfare payments, but have welcomed his decision not to cut the State pension.

Housing body Threshold welcomed the decision not to cut the rent supplement payment further, but said the cut in jobseeker’s allowance for under-24s would put people at risk of homelessness.

Focus Ireland said the Budget was a “hammer blow” to the most marginalised and that it would put more people at risk of losing their homes. Its chief executive Joyce Loughnan said: “We fully accept that tough decisions have to be taken to get the economy back on its feet again, but the cuts to welfare and public sector pay are very short-sighted. The social housing and supports budget is being cut by a massive 27 per cent.”

The National Women’s Council of Ireland said mothers on social welfare or working for low pay would bear the brunt of the cuts.

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“Child benefit is a crucial part of family income – many women will be left wondering if they can afford to continue to work, given that childcare costs continue to rise,” said NWCI director Susan McKay. “Women employed in lower-paid public service jobs are also facing further pay cuts.”

The Rehab Group expressed concern about the “significant” cut of €8.30 per week in the disability allowance. Chief executive Angela Kerins said cutting social welfare for people with disabilities was “a massive step backwards”.

“In general, people in receipt of disability allowance spend that money on necessities, not luxuries. This cut of €8.30 per week will affect the ability of the nearly 96,000 people on disability allowance to buy basic necessities such as food and clothing.”

Children’s Rights Alliance chief executive Jillian van Turnhout said the cuts would be a cumulative weight on children, young people and their families, “from which they – and our society – may take years to recover”.

Frances Byrne, director of the One Parent Exchange and Network, the organisation representing 80 single-parent organisations, said lone parents and their children had “effectively been left out in the cold” as a result of Budget cutbacks.

Age Action said it was relieved the State pension was protected, but the prescription charge would “hit the sickest and poorest”. “The majority of people have medical cards because they are either on low incomes or have very high medical costs because they are very sick,” said Age Action spokesman Eamon Timmins.