The People Before Profit mum currently sits on Wexford County Council. As an Irish councillor, she earns around €16,500 per annum, plus €5,000 in expenses. She is also entitled to a phone allowance.
Under the current social welfare system, people earning more than €425 a week are not eligible for the lone parent’s allowance.
Taking to her Facebook page to announce the news, she said: “So today I got one of those lovely letters telling me that from 25th of June the remaining portion of my lone parents allowance will be cut completely.
“It was cut in half when I got the council job. Now I can apply for jobseekers.”
Deirdre then went on to highlight the adverse effect something like this could have on a mum with a bigger family.
“What of younger women maybe with 3 kids under 10? They have to go onto jobseekers for non existent jobs and probably be forced into scambridge. Who's supposed to pick up their kids from school and where do they get the money for childcare?”
Deirdre is well-known in her local area as a big campaigner again water charges, and made headlines when she removed her water meter and said she’s be willing to go to prison for it.
