Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, on this Social Welfare Bill and the practical way in which she approached her brief. We are operating in difficult times. You never get perfection but must spend the money wisely. In the limited time I have I will touch on a few areas. The Minister will be aware that there was an anomaly in the fuel allowance whereby people had to be in receipt of a social welfare payment to qualify for it. For the over-70s it is based on means alone. The Minister ensured that clarity was brought to bear so that it is now based on means alone for the over-70s. That has been hugely well received by people in that age-group, many of whom were border-line for fuel allowance. They will now qualify. People are coming to us saying it has major add-on benefits. It is necessary to have the fuel allowance to qualify for the warmer homes scheme. I commend that. The Minister will shortly announce the application process for that. She might give us an indication on that. It is not specifically in this Bill but it will be brought in by way of secondary legislation effective on 1 January 2023.

There are also eight once-off lump-sum measures to spend. However, there are many core changes as well. Social welfare is going up by €12 a week. The working family payment threshold is now €40 a week. I feel very strongly about that. Working people on lower incomes are under pressure. Ensuring that threshold is higher in order for them to qualify for the working family payment, historically known as FIS, is positive. Domiciliary care allowance is going up by €20.50 per month. That is very welcome. The core payment for child benefit is going up by €2 a week. It is important that we increase the lower PRSI rate commensurate with the increase in the minimum wage. In summary, one can never get everything absolutely spot-on but the choices made in this budget both with the once-off lump-sums and the core payments, in the circumstances as presented is a good judgment call on the Minister's part.

It will benefit people on the ground who I represent in Limerick city and county and north Tipperary.

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