Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Today has been a good news day for those in a family, including those in a lower-income or middle-income family. We saw the announcement of both universal and targeted measures to assist families as they face into this cost-of-living crisis. This crisis can be supported by reasonable and prudent measures. We still have a reserve in case the situation gets worse and that is important. Putting in place a cap and writing blank cheques to energy companies outside the State does not give certainty. It empties our coffers instead of giving certainty and support to families and being responsive where we need to be. Families with a child in full-time childcare are looking at getting €175 per week off their childcare costs. That is an enormous intervention. For families where the monthly childcare fee is the equivalent of a month's mortgage or rent payment, this has now gone down by 25%. The number of people who will get fuel allowance is going to increase as we widen and increase the eligibility criteria. Those people will get a lump sum of €400. Pensioners, carers and people on disability benefits will have €624 extra, plus the €500 lump sum in November. Families with young children will receive double child benefit and those on the working family payment will get an extra lump sum of €500. This is about giving money to people and putting it in their pockets at the time when they most need it, and the Government being responsive to that in a responsible way.