Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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212. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the full-year cost in 2016 of increasing the jobseeker's allowance for those aged from 18 to 24 years, by €10; €20; and €30 per week. [35988/15]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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213. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost in 2016 of increasing the jobseeker's allowance for those under 26 years of age by €10; €20; and €30 per week. [35989/15]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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214. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the disability allowance; the blind pension; the invalidity pension; and the carer's allowance, by €20; €25; and €30 per week. [36010/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Question Nos. 212 to 214, inclusive, together.

The estimated full year cost in 2016 of increasing the €100 and €144 rates of jobseeker's allowance for those aged 18 to 24 years of age by €10.00, €20.00 and €30.00 is detailed in the following table.

The estimated full-year cost in 2016 of increasing the weekly jobseeker's allowance rate for all those under 26 years of age by €10.00, €20.00 and €30.00 is €18.20 million, €36.40 million and €54.70 million respectively.

This costing includes the cost of increasing the rates payable to all recipients of jobseeker’s allowance aged under 26 including those who are in receipt of the €188 per week maximum rate of payment such as recipients with qualified children.

The estimated full year cost of increasing each of the following payments by €20.00, €25.00 and €30.00 weekly; Disability Allowance; Blind Pension; Invalidity Pension and Carer's Allowance, is detailed in the following table.

On Budget Day, I announced a social welfare Budget package for 2016 with four key aims:

- To increase supports for pensioners aged 66 and over;

- To strengthen supports for families with children;

- To increase the momentum to date in helping jobseekers back to work; and

- To provide targeted assistance for vulnerable groups.

In this regard, I am pleased to be in the position to provide a 75% Christmas Bonus payment this year. A single young unemployed jobseeker in receipt of €100 rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance for 15 months will receive a Christmas bonus payment of €75, while a person in receipt of the €144 for 15 months will receive €108. A single person in receipt of Disability Allowance will receive a bonus payment of €141. A couple in receipt of the Blind Pension, with a qualified adult and no children will receive a bonus of €234.60. A couple in receipt of Invalidity Pension with a qualified adult and two qualified children will receive a bonus payment of €293.40.

It should be noted that carers aged 66 and over will benefit from the €3 weekly rate increase. This rate increase will also benefit carers in receipt of the half-rate Carer’s Allowance aged 66 and over, who will gain by €1.50 per week.

The Respite Care Grant, to be renamed the Carer’s Support Grant to better reflect the usage of the grant, will also be increased by €325, from €1,375 to €1,700 per annum. Furthermore, payment of Carer’s Allowance will be extended by 6 weeks, from 6 weeks to 12 weeks, after the death of the care recipient.

In addition, those eligible for the Fuel Allowance will gain from the increase in January of €2.50 per week, from €20 to €22.50 per week over the fuel season.

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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215. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2016 of increasing the income disregard of €350 for those in receipt of disability allowance by €10; €16; and €20 per week. [36011/15]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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216. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost in 2016 of increasing the income disregard of €350 for those in receipt of the Blind Pension by €10; €16; and €20, per week. [36012/15]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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217. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of abolishing the means test for the carer’s allowance. [36014/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 215 to 217, inclusive, together.

Given the demand-led nature of the three schemes in question, such changes in the qualifying conditions would have an unquantifiable impact on the numbers of people claiming, and as a result, it is not possible to estimate the costs involved.