Just a few weeks ago, out of the blue, the government announced that a payment called an ‘Exceptional Needs Payment’ was to be scrapped for parents applying for Holy Communion or Confirmation help.

In 2011 the government handed out €3.4m to families struggling to pay for Holy Communion or Confirmation costs and the average handout was €242, but they slashed that last year to an average of €110.

The ‘Exceptional Needs Payment’ would have, and still will, be made to parents struggling to pay for essentials for their family, parents who are already on social welfare payments, but they will not now be able to apply for religious ceremonies.

Some families, who are genuinely living on the edge, were left distraught as they had simply accepted that this payment would come and therefore had ordered dresses, suits etc for their children, believing they would have the money to pay for them.

Others were concerned over how their neighbours would perceive them if they did not have the ‘big car’ for the day, the expensive clothes and the expected party.

And they told us that they were genuinely worried that their children would be labelled ‘poor’ and even bullied if they were not seen as ‘keeping up with the Jones’s'.

But the decision has already been made and no payments will be made now, or in the future.

Listen to the full report here: