The old reliables have been hit with increases on drink and cigarettes while pensioners and the unemployed will also have allowances cut.

SOCIAL WELFARE

• Bereavement grant of €850 to families of dead people scrapped
• OAP telephone allowance of €9.50 a month scrapped
• Reduced dole payment for unemployed people under 26
• Maternity benefit higher rate to be cut from €262 to 230 a week
• Phasing out of mortgage interest supplement for new applicants
• Technical changes to the invalidity pension
• Clawback from insurance companies on compensation payments
• Rent Supplement minimum contribution to be increased
• Child benefit for third and subsequent child down €10, as announced
• Mortgage Interest Relief to be phased out
• RTE subsidy for OAP TV licences to be reduced by €5m from €59m to €54m
• Normal dole payment safe
• Pension safe
  Free Travel safe
• Half rate carers allowance safe
• Respite Care grant safe

HEALTH

• 35,000 over 70s to go from medical card to GP only card
• Income thresholds on medical cards for over 70s also to be tightened
• GP only medical card for all children under 5
• Prescription charges to go up by €1
• Cuts to hospital services

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