Tánaiste Joan Burton has said there is relief that what is happening in Greece had not happened to Irish people.

“We have had a managed process of recovery in this economy… that it is not a threat here,’’ she added.

In the Dáil, Ms Burton was again challenged on cuts to the lone-parent allowance by Fianna Fáil’s Charlie McConalogue and Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald.

Ms Burton defended the Government’s decision, adding there had been a complete revamp of community based childcare into a high quality over the past three years.

She said she wanted to move to a situation where parents were parents regardless of their relationship status. “I think it is time this country moved on and we acknowledged all parents as equal,’’ she added.

When Ms McDonald pressed the issue, Ms Burton said Jean McConville, who was killed by the IRA, had 12 children and she asked what had been done for her.