I welcome the €10 increase for pensioners; the special €11 per week increase in contributory pensions for widows and widowers aged 66 years and over; the €8 and €10 increases in child benefit effective from April 2003; the €7 increase for widows and widowers under 66 years of age; the €6 increase for people in receipt of other payments; the €100 increase in respite care grants; and the increase in income disregard for the carer's allowance. All weekly increases are effective from January 2003 and that is to be welcomed.