Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty TD has said the government’s cut to the Single Parent tax credit is unjustifiable and can still be reversed.
Deputy Doherty was speaking as amendments to reverse or lessen the cut were voted down by government TDs.
“Once more the government has refused to budge on their cut to the Single Parent tax credit. Sinn Fein today poised a whole series of options available to the minister to mitigate the worst effects of the cut but all were rejected by this out-of-touch government,” said the Gaoth Dobhair man.
“This cut is unjustifiable and can still be reversed. Sinn Féin will continue to oppose this measure and offer a range of alternatives in the Seanad after today’s rejection by Labour and Fine Gael to proposal to reverse or lessen the cuts.
“Minister Noonan recently told me in a reply to a parliamentary question that 14,500 people will be affected by this cut. That is at least as many children as that that will be affected.
“This cut is one of the most unjustifiable in this year’s Finance Bill and has rightly angered many single parents. Once again the government has picked on a vulnerable group and targeted them with a blunt cut.
“The cut is unjustifiable and still can be reversed or lessened. Sinn Féin has opposed this cut through ever stage of the Finance Bill and will continue to do so.”