Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To clarify what was paid, in 2022, a single retired person on the contributory State pension received €200 in electricity credit in April 2022 and a €125 lump-sum payment was made to those receiving fuel allowance, as well as a €100 lump-sum payment to households in receipt of lump-sum payments. That gives a total of €225, with one payment in March and one in May. In the autumn, then, we had a double weekly payment of €253. This was paid in October 2022. There was also a €200 electricity credit in November 2022, as well as a fuel allowance lump-sum payment of €400 and a living alone allowance lump-sum payment of €200, and then a 100% Christmas bonus, which amounted to another €253. In the spring of this year, another €200 electricity credit was paid in January, a €200 electricity credit was paid in March and a €200 lump-sum payment was made to the primary recipients of long-term social welfare payments in April. When we add up all these payments, from spring last year until now, we get a total of €2,331.60 in additional payments. This is the weekly equivalent of €44.83. We can have statistics, figures and everything else, but the bottom line is there is more money in people's pockets to pay the bills. That is what I am about here.

In the context of the public service performance report, the statistics on income and living conditions, SILC, data used were from 2021, so nothing that came in during 2022 or in 2023 was included. I will, however, look at these things of course. I will meet the stakeholders on Monday week to hear what they will have to say regarding the budget. I recognise it is important that we have the core payments but these top-up or lump-sum payments have made a difference to people. As I said, we will continue to keep them all under review.

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