The Tánaiste has emphatically rejected claims that the Government had decided to "go after widows" to save €5.8 million.
As pressure increased on the Government over the social welfare cut affecting 2,000 widows, widowers and lone parents, Ms Harney insisted the Government always responded when "hardship or unfairness is caused in any decisions" and she reiterated that all social welfare reforms were "constantly kept under review".
Last night Fianna Fáil backbenchers welcomed the commitment by the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Ms Coughlan, to review the decision, but they voted down by 69 votes to 54, the private members' motion by Labour, Fine Gael and the Green Party calling for the Government to re-instate the half-rate benefit.
Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, claimed that the Government was "going after" widows at a time when the Minister for Finance "could find €15.9 million for pony jumping at Punchestown" and when he gave an increase of €800 a day to tribunal lawyers.
The cut removes the half-rate payment of unemployment and disability benefit to those 2,000 recipients when they are out sick or unemployed.
Mr Rabbitte said it was a "hard-hearted, harsh, mean, petty cut on people who cannot defend themselves" and if Ms Coughlan refused to reverse the cuts her legacy would be that she had "robbed the widows".
The Tánaiste said the "hallmark of any society is how it treats its most vulnerable" and the Government had done an "extraordinary amount for widows because they are an important group in our society and in particular our social welfare system".
The Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, said that a new ramp at Connolly station which had to be demolished for the LUAS, had cost €40 million and in the context of this and other "profligate waste and wanton raiding of public funds", the €5.8 million was the quintessential widows' mite.
Members of the National Association of Widows packed the public gallery for the debate.
Mr Charlie O'Connor (FF, Dublin South-West) said he hoped the cut would be reversed immediately but he was voting with the Government because that was the system in place.
Ms Mae Sexton (PD, Longford-Roscommon) said that politicians and legislations could amend decisions. "Nothing should ever be so binding that it cannot be changed."
But she said that "in voting with the Government I am putting my political reputation on the line in the firm belief that the correct decision will be made and the matter will be resolved to the satisfaction of those affected".
