Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We are coming up on budget time. I had a communication this morning from a member of the public who is concerned about the contributory old age pension. Every year, the Minister announces increases in social welfare benefits. Generally speaking, we hear that pensions were increased by €5. Since 2012, six streams have been introduced in the pension scheme based on the number of contributions that one has paid. This member of the public has set out for me the pension rates in 2018, starting at €243.30 and working down to €97.20. The Minister has announced a €5 increase in the pension but it is pro ratafor the contributory pension while it is not pro ratafor the non-contributory pension. The person on the bottom of the scale, with an average of ten to 14 contributions, would have got a pension of €97.20 in 2018 and, following the 2019 budget, an increase to €99.20, which is not an increase of €5. If nothing else, when the Minister addresses it in October, we should clarify the language that is used, since €5 is not being given across the board, but a pro rataincrease for people on a contributory pension. A man has put together a very genuine case, which I will forward to the Leader's office today, and he might forward it to the Minister. It causes him and many of his neighbours who are on contributory pensions a great deal of distress. Some €5 is a lot of money if one is trying to live on €200 a week, and it is an awful lot if one is trying to live on €97 and only gets a €2 increase. I will forward that information to the Leader and, if needs be, we can have a Commencement debate in the early part of the new session.