Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

——for the non-contributory old age pension.

Lowest social welfare rates

In the Sustaining Progress Partnership Agreement, we also undertook to increase significantly the lowest rates of social welfare. In my first budget, I increased the lowest rate by €14 a week and, in my second budget, the increase was €17. In today's budget I am happy to announce an increase of €20, bringing the lowest adult rate to €185.80 a week.

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