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

I would not dream of it. The Department's pre-budget forum will take place on 19 July. I will be meeting all those stakeholders and will hear their views, which the Deputy articulated clearly. He will appreciate that I will not give any commitment today because my good colleagues, the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, would not appreciate any comments I might make. What I can say is that we supported pensioners last year. We expanded the fuel allowance and provided for an increase of €12, as well as all the lump sum payments which equated to approximately €47 per week in total. We were not found wanting last year and pensioners will be a priority again this year.

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