Child benefit cuts scrapped

Plans to cut child benefit if children’s school attendance is poor – have already been thrown out – due to massive unpopularity, according to a report.

Children’s groups, the left and Fianna Fáil, had weighed in against the measures proposed in the new Programme for Government.

And the fact that the Irish Independent report a rowing back of the plan – may be an inclination of how weak this new government is.

Communications Minister Denis Naughton had pushed for the plan to go ahead – but was forced to do a u-turn.