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

I move amendment No. 9:

In page 8, after line 32, to insert the following:

“Report on rates based on Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL)

16.The Minister shall carry out a review on introducing social welfare rates which are benchmarked to the Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL) to study the effect that adequacy of social welfare rates could have on addressing poverty levels and the report shall be presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection ahead of Budget 2024.”.

In light of what the Minister has just said about a report in quarter 2 of next year and the potential benchmarking and indexation of social welfare rates beyond the State pension, as already planned, will the minimum essential standard of living, MESL, be looked at in that regard? I have raised this issue many times. It is important to have our social welfare rates at a level where they protect people from poverty. That should be the basis of any social protection system. I ask the Minister to clarify that.

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