Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The survey on income and living, SILC, data for 2019 are the latest data available on poverty. The Minister did not mention that deprivation increased in 2019, which is alarming given that was all pre-Covid. I appreciate the previous budget contained targeted measures, but we need to start looking at core social welfare rates that have not moved in the past two budgets.

A few weeks ago, representatives from Society of St. Vincent de Paul appeared before the social protection committee. They raised the issue of the increase in food poverty. They have received a 20% increase in calls for help for families. That increase in food poverty is of serious concern. This will be more of an issue as we emerge from the pandemic. I have not heard the Minister say she wants to start to align social welfare rates with the minimum essential standard of living, rather than increasing by a fiver and this political football. It is not evidence based and it is not good enough.

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