Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising an important issue for many people across the country. As we emerge from the pandemic and the economy recovers, we are faced with a new set of challenges, including rising energy prices and transitory supply issues that are causing prices to increase. In that context, last October's budget included a range of measures to support citizens with the rising cost of living, including increases to weekly social welfare rates. Targeted measures included increases in the living alone allowance, the qualified child allowance and the weekly rate of fuel allowance. The latter increase, which was implemented immediately on budget night in October, was an exceptional measure and is not what normally occurs.

However, the Government is acutely conscious of the challenges still facing households, in particular relating to energy bills and especially for those on lower incomes. In recognition of those challenges, the Government has in recent weeks set out a series of measures aimed at further mitigating the cost of living pressures people are facing. These measures, as the Deputy knows, add up to over €500 million. The Deputy is also well aware of what they are so I do not need to go through them in detail. We anticipate that the electricity credit will be applied to over 2 million domestic electricity accounts in the March and April billing cycle. We will see a one-off payment of €125 for fuel allowance recipients in the first half of this month, I anticipate. The reduction in the drugs payment scheme threshold kicked in today. That threshold is now €80. We have brought forward improvements in the working family payment. We have announced a reduction in fares for public transport users and reductions in the family caps that apply to school transport scheme payments. The Government is making a contribution to addressing the cost of living pressures but we acknowledge they are particularly acute at this time.

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