Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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267. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual cost of increasing the disability allowance by €5.50 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30524/17]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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268. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual cost of increasing the blind pension by €5.50 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30525/17]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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269. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual cost of increasing the living alone allowance by €9.50 per month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30526/17]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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270. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the estimated annual cost of increasing the fuel allowance by three weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30527/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 267 to 270, inclusive, together.

The full year cost of increasing the weekly rate of Disability Allowance, from €193 to €198.50 per week, is estimated at €41.2 million in 2018.

There is an analogous social insurance payment, Invalidity Pension (€198.50 per week), which is paid to people who are permanently incapable of work (subject to satisfying the relevant medical criteria and a minimum number of paid qualifying PRSI contributions). Each €1 increase in the weekly rate of Invalidity Pension would cost €3.2 million in a full year.

The full year cost of increasing the weekly rate of Blind Pension, from €193 to €198.50 per week, is estimated at €0.4 million in 2018.

The full year cost of increasing the weekly Living Alone Allowance payment by €2.20 (the equivalent of a monthly increase of €9.50), from €9 to €11.20 per week, is estimated at €22.7 million in 2018.

The full year cost of increasing the duration of the Fuel Allowance season by an additional three weeks, from 26 weeks to 29 weeks, is estimated at €26.9 million in 2018.

It should be noted that the costings listed above include proportionate increases for qualified adults where relevant. It should also be noted that these costings are subject to change over the coming months in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2018.