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

Section 16 and Schedule 1 provide for increases in the rates of social insurance payments. I am very pleased to say that there will be a €12 increase per week in the maximum personal rate of PRSI-based benefits.

Section 17 and Schedule 2 provide for increases in social assistance or, in other words, means-tested payments. It also provides for increases to qualified adults and other increases where relevant such as, for example the living alone allowance. Domiciliary care allowance is a payment in recognition of the additional burden involved in caring for children with a severe disability and it is not means-tested.

Section 18 provides for an increase in the rate of payment from €340 to €360. In 2022, I was proud to be the first Minister to increase this payment since 2009. It was also increased in last year's budget. These increases are in recognition of the significant and difficult role that family carers perform in Irish society.

Finally, section 19 is the Short Title of the Act.

This is my fifth budget as Minister for Social Protection. Since 2020, I have navigated the social protection ship through turbulent waters - the aftermath of Brexit, the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, inflation and the cost-of-living increases, through it all, with the help of the can-do culture of the team in the Department of Social Protection. I want to acknowledge the staff of the Department of Social Protection, not just in the Department here in Dublin but right across the country. It is fair to say, and we will all acknowledge, that they did wonderful work in churning out all those payments during the pandemic, such as the PUP and all the different supports. It was nothing short of a credit to them.

See this speech in context