Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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272. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which she expects to be in a position to respond to the various demands received in pre-budget 2022 submissions to her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48985/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that I will be considering a range of options for Budget 2022 over the coming days, taking account of available resources.

It is important to emphasise that the Government takes a range of data and research into account in formulating its budget. The last two Budgets have seen a series of evidence-based increases in some social welfare payments targeted to improve the situation of the people who are most at risk of poverty and to ensure the most vulnerable were protected.

Each year, my Department receives a large number of pre-budget submissions from a diverse range of stakeholders, including community and voluntary groups, employer representative groups and trade unions. This year, I received over 50 submissions.

The submissions raised issues and outlined priorities across a broad range of areas which affect pensioners, lone parents, people with disabilities, carers, jobseekers and others. Many of these detailed submissions are available on the organisations' websites.

I am very grateful for the time and effort taken by each organisation which made a submission this year and who attended the Pre-Budget Forum in July. These submissions will be taken into consideration by Government when forming social welfare measures to be included as part of Budget 2022, taking account of Government priorities and the need to protect the most vulnerable in society.