Updated 12.50

The Minister for Social Protection says gardaí will be setting up checkpoints in industrial estates and at airports to clampdown on social welfare fraud.

Joan Burton says officers will be on the look out for people claiming benefits while going out to work.

Minister Burton says there is no acceptable level of social welfare fraud and she has set her department a target of €710 million in fraud savings for this year.

She says a number of gardaí will be taken on by her department directly to tackle the issue:

Minister Burton defended her decision to cut maternity benefit - saying more is paid for longer in Ireland than in any other European country.

The payment is being cut from €260 a week to €230 a week, as part of Budget 2014.

Joan Burton says any cut is regrettable - but she felt it was important for women to have more time at home with their babies:

On the cuts made for young jobseeker's, the Minister told Pat Kenny that going down to the dole office to sign on at the age of 18 is the worst start in life for a young person. She says the measures announced yesterday will encourage young people to enter the workforce:

Responding to concerns about cuts to the telephone allowance, the Minister said there would be assistance available for people in areas with particular difficulties. Among them, the rolling out of personal alarms, and the pursuit of new technologies.

Joan Burton also said the Community Welfare Service is there to help, so that no-one need lose their connection.