Single Parents Acting for the Rights of our Kids (SPARK) said it is strongly critical of the suggestion that a two tier system will be introduced for Children's Allowance.

S.P.A.R.K. is a diverse group of single parents living in Ireland who have united together to protect our children from the radical policy changes introduced in Budget 2012. We are here to raise awareness of the many challenges one-parent families currently face and to identify the essential supports needed to allow us equal participation in society. We assert the rights of our children to be treated equally and demand acknowledgement and recognition of our family status. We actively challenge stereotyping of our familes. We oppose any economic, social, legal or political policies that have a detrimental effect on our children or on us as single parents. We seek equality for children regardless of their family circumstances.

SPARK,a group campaigning on behalf of single parents,have called a protest for Saturday 18 February, meeting 2pm at Garden of Remembrance. Group organisers say thecampaign has been growing in support and numbers, and this week after Minister Joan Burton issued her letter to single parents in Ireland, more parents are looking to vent their anger. Single parents were the group the government taught was an easy target to cut, they underestimated angry parents.

This week Minister Joan Burton will send to thousands of one parent families a letter to review existing one-parent claimants. As 65% of the poorest children in Ireland live in one parent households, this letter will terrify many single parents. The budget cuts for 2012 discriminated against single parents with mulitiple cuts. Single parents across Ireland on social media have been organising, and have set up a campaign SPARK to oppose these cuts. A protest is called by SPARK for 18 February at 2pm, meeting at the Garden Of Remembrance. Minister Burton attacked single parents, as they were seen as an easy target. She underestimated angry parents, and they will continue to protest and campaign to highlight her discrimination, and demand a reversal of the cuts that will inflict poverty for thousands of lone parents.

Today, 3 July, over 5,000 lone parent families lose their entitlement to One Family Payment but throughout the year a total of 9,000 families will lose entitlement. By July 2015, almost 60,000 families will lose One Family Payment when their youngest child turns seven.