BlogMarch against Child Benefit Cuts

We are on day 2 of the BlogMarch of 10 members of the Irish Parenting Bloggers group. A plan I dreamed up on the toilet last Friday morning and shared on the Irish Parenting Bloggers Facebook page. Over the next 48 hours magic happened through the incredible enthusiasm and hard work of all these incredible women involved - women who have full time work and parenting responsibilities - we now have a nationwide blog, media and social media campaign to make parents' voices heard on proposed changes in our economy.

To bring you up to speed on the issue:

Last week in anticipation of our (fifth) austerity budget, an Irish advisory group to Social Protection Minister, Joan Burton, recommended cuts to Child Benefit, a Universal social payment received by all Irish families. 

They propose cutting the rate from €140 to €100 per child and putting a system in place where by low-income families can apply for a top up (via the Family Income Supplement system (FIS) - which is currently running 9 month waiting lists.)

On the same day this happened, our government, paid €1 Billion to unsecured bondholders of AIB bank.

This was the last straw. For me. And thousands of parents around Ireland. It was the line in the sand that had been crossed. Something has to be said. Something needs to be done. Enough is enough. I will be blogging about our own personal experiences on Thursday. But before then you can see what the other bloggers involved have to say on the matter. (See below for the BlogMarch schedule and all the ways that you can get involved.)

The Irish Parenting Bloggers are great writers and each post on the BlogMarch is the blogger's own view. Enjoy! 

Read the other Blog March posts

The post that inspired me to start this whole campaign off: Ciara @Ouch My Fanny Hurts: Where her mother says we all need to speak up 

Day 1: 'Child Benefit Stole My Child's Allowance' at  
The Irish Rhymes

Day 2  (Tuesday 9th):          The Clothesline Blog    
'Stuck In The Middle- No To Child Benefit Cuts' 
http://theclotheslineie.wordpress.com

Day 3  (Wednesday 10th):   Mind The Baby  
Leave Child Benefit Alone, Tax Maternity Benefit Instead          
http://mindthebaby.wordpress.com/

Day 4  (Thursday 11th):       Dreaming Aloud    
Down to the Bare Bones - Cutting (the fat out of) Child Benefit       
http://www.dreamingaloud.net/

Day 5  (Friday 12th):          The Daily Muttering        
http://thedailymuttering.blogspot.ie/

Day 6  (Saturday 13th):       Kate Takes 5                
http://katetakes5.blogspot.ie/

Day 7  (Sunday 14th):         Wholesome Ireland      
http://wholesomeireland.com/

Day 8  (Monday 15th):        Ouch My Fanny Hurts 
http://ouchmyfannyhurts.wordpress.com/

Day 9  (Tuesday 16th):        Wonderful Wagon      
http://www.wonderfulwagon.com/

Day 10 (Wednesday 17th):  Mama.ie                   
http://mama.ie/

• You can sign the online petition here.
• You can tweet at #BlogMarch.
• You can contact Joan Burton at joan.burton@oireachtas.ie
• You can find the email addresses of all current TD’s and Senators here
• You can sign the petition against Child Benefit Cuts here
• There is a march organised against cuts to Child Benefit planned for November 3rd in Dublin. Starting at Parnell Square, D1 at 12 noon - see here
• You can join us on the new Irish Parenting Blogs Facebook page here
• You can read, think, discuss anywhere.