Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

I can only comment that as the austerity agenda is rolled out across the rest of Europe, it is becoming increasingly clear that the damage done to the peripheral countries is now spreading to the core and is completely depressing the European economy in all parts. It is disappointing if there is not some discussion about the implications.

I specifically asked the Minister whether cuts directed at lone parents were discussed as so-called labour activation measures. I refer to the cut in the lone parent allowance once a child has reached seven years. Was this proposal conceived as a so-called labour activation measure?

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