Saturday, October 13, 2012

SVP tells government not to cut child benefit

The Society of Saint Vincent De Paul (SVP) has urged the Irish government not to cut child benefit in the forthcoming budget.  

SVP Social Policy Development Officer Caroline Fahey said, “Over the past number of budgets, it has been families with children who have been hit again and again very hard and this looks like yet another attack on the same group of people who cannot take any more.”

Speaking about the SVP's position on the children’s allowance payment to families she said, “All we are saying to the government is to leave child benefit alone.  That's all we are saying as we have no idea as of yet what is been proposed.”  

She added, “How would low income families be protected? How would middle-income families be protected? Until we see any concrete proposals beyond cut it we can't say anything other than leave child benefit alone.”

Ms Fahey also revealed that the SVP is concerned about struggling families regardless of the background. 

“We know that there are a lot more people struggling now than ever before.”  

She said that SVP would favour a payment to all families with children particularly targeted at those with low incomes or who are on Social Welfare. 

“Child benefit has been cut several times, social welfare has been reduced and low paid workers have been brought into the tax net. Most of the households that we help out are families with children so it is worrying for us.”

The SVP has said that it wants information made available on how many high-income earners get child benefit.  

“Many middle income earners were struggling with outgoings as their financial circumstances had changed. We are very worried that these people will be hit as well as the people we are assisting. She also revealed that over the last three years the SVP has seen an 80% increase in the people they are assisting.”