Taxpayers take hit over lone parent loophole

Parents originally had to pay around €45-€65 per week

A group of agencies, led by the Children's Rights Alliance, assembled and stood side-by-side to demonstrate their unity in support of Children and Family Relationships Bil in March last year, including Karen Kiernan centre

A group of parents are heaping extra costs on the taxpayer due to a legal loophole. They were originally obliged to pay around €45-€65 per week towards the state’s costs of providing lone parent allowance to their former partner until their child reached the age of 14.

But when changes were made to the allowance by Tánaiste Joan Burton, her department did not take account of this group.

They now only have to ...