Aidan Davitt (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to welcome the Minister of State on this busy day.It is a good news day for the Government today. I am sure it is good to be here with all the good news that is coming from the Department at present. As Senator Craughwell has mentioned, it will be a search and rescue mission for a lot of the Opposition after such a considered budget.

Given that this debate focuses on the public expenditure aspect of the budget, I would like to speak about the cost of living, which has been quite extensive since the Ukrainian war. As we know, it has been reported today through the European Union that inflation has gone back to under 2% for the first time since the start of the war. That is certainly welcome. However, this does not reduce the in-built inflation that has already occurred in our economy. That is where the problem arises. Unfortunately, we now have a new starting point and base for all the line costs. The headline measures in the budget seek to address this in the short term by giving people a chance to catch up, particularly those on lower incomes. I refer to measures like the €300 once-off fuel allowance payment before Christmas, which I am sure the Minister of State can clarify; the two double child benefit payments before Christmas; the €200 once-off payment for pensioners and people with disabilities; the €400 care support grant, which is very welcome; and the welfare increases, including the €12 increase for pensioners and anybody in that general category. There is also the cost-of-living double allowance and the double payment over Christmas. Another prudent measure is the decision to bring into the hot food scheme any primary school that is not already included into it. This will be money very well spent.

A whole array of different categories have been outlined by the Minister of State. We are still sifting through them. We certainly appreciate that it has been a very considered budget. I do not think any particular sector has been overloaded. The measures are certainly welcome, particularly in the areas we are discussing here today. I commend the budget to the House. I thank the Minister of State for his time and consideration.