Seán Kenny (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

A new analysis of the budget changes shows that households with children are the biggest beneficiaries of budget 2016 and, in particular, working lone parents. There will also be an increase in the monthly rate of child benefit to €140 from January 2016, which sees further increases on top of increases in budget 2015. The family income supplement threshold is also being increased by €5 for each of the first two children per week from January. That will give an additional €3 or €6 per week for low-income working families in receipt of this support. I am also pleased to see an increase in top-up payments for jobseekers availing of community employment, rural social scheme, job initiative and other such schemes.

There are also elements of budget 2016 which do not require changes to legislation. They include: the increase in the fuel allowance; the increase in funding for the free travel scheme; an increase of €2.50 per week in top-up payments for community employment, rural social scheme, Gateway, job initiative, Tús and JobBridge participants; and an increase in funding for the school meals scheme, to support school-going children in disadvantaged areas.

The budget measures which require amendments to the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 are provided for in the Social Welfare Bill 2015. This Bill will implement the budgetary changes which are, in the main, due to come into force in early 2016 and will also give effect to increases in pensions payable to persons aged 66 and over and their qualified adult dependents, as well as increases to the rate of child benefit, respite care grant and family income supplement.

The new tapered PRSI credit for class A PRSI employees earning between €352.01 and €424 in a week will reduce the weekly PRSI bill for more than 88,000 employees and will be in addition to the gains from the USC changes announced on budget day. In addition, the lower 8.5% class A rate of employer PRSI will be extended to more than 26,000 employers with the employer threshold being increased from €356 to €376. I welcome those changes. After the years of sacrifice by the Irish people, they deserve to get something back. I wish to see the increases continue in the years to come.

However, I am somewhat disappointed that there is not an increase for a section of the population who are under the age of 26. I feel that is discriminatory on the basis of age. I commend Labour Youth for lobbying on this issue, which needs to be reviewed.

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