Stagg accused of duplicity over lone parents’ allowance

Fianna Fáil has accused Labour Party whip Emmet Stagg of "duplicity" because his private view on changes to lone parents' allowances is strongly opposed to that of party leader Joan Burton.

Mr Stagg was one of several Labour Party TDs who criticised the Tánaiste’s activation policies for lone parents at a parliamentary party meeting.

Fianna Fáil TD Colm Keaveney tweeted a copy of an email which was sent by Mr Stagg responding to a person who said she would no longer support the party because of the changes in lone parent's allowance.

Mr Keaveney, a former member of Labour, claimed his erstwhile colleague was indulging in duplicity.

In the email, Mr Stagg said he voted in favour of the changes in 2012 because he believed that promised improvements in the child care system would be put in place. He acknowledged that they had not materialised.

He also voted with the Government in last week’s private members motion, tabled by the Opposition after a July 2nd deadline which saw 30,000 people being transferred from lone parents’ allowance to theory forms of social welfare.

The email from Mr Stagg states there have been angry exchanges in parliamentary party meetings over the issue.

“I simply fail to see how cutting the income of the very ones who are making a real effort to improve the lot of their families and themselves helps in some way to get out of the poverty trap. It clearly has the opposite effect.

“I will continue to press for a reversal of this bad decision,” he states.

The party leader, Tánaiste Joan Burton, has been responsible for the changes to the lone parent’s allowance as Minister for Social Protection.

Job activation

Under the new system, which is a job activation measure, the allowances have been phased out for parents of older children since 2012, with a view to encourage them to increase their participation in the workplace.

Last night Mr Stagg said he had voted with the party whip in the two votes on the issue, unlike Mr Keaveney who had left the party after voting against its budget proposals in late 2011.

“I have argued against that policy and was one of a number of TDs who raised it at the parliamentary party meeting today.

“I believe the best place to argue your case is internally and I will continue to do so,” he said, adding that he believed the Tánaiste may make amendments.

A spokesman for the Tánaiste said Mr Stagg had acknowledged he had backed the party in the two key Dáil votes on the issue.