Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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106. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the consideration that has been given to the rate of payment for the old age pension ahead of Budget 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34516/22]

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 2023 over the coming months, 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.

The social welfare package in Budget 2022 was the largest in 14 years and meant that 1.4 million people received a €5 increase in weekly payments, and more if they have dependants.

These changes in core social welfare rates have been supplemented by targeted increases in certain payments.  These measures include increases to ancillary social welfare payments such as Fuel Allowance, Living Alone Allowance, Qualified Child payments and Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance.  

The Government is acutely aware of recent price increases and their impact on households who are dependent on social welfare.  For this reason, this Government did not await a further budget cycle to address these challenges but acted early.  Overall, the tax and spending measures we have introduced to ease the burden and provide support to those most in need have amounted to €2.4 billion.  For recipients of Fuel Allowance, which includes many pensioners, measures introduced by my Department included an increase of €5 in the weekly rate of Fuel Allowance - which was paid with effect from the week of the Budget - and subsequent lump sum payments of €125 and €100 in March and May 2022 respectively.  

All of these measures will be kept under review, together with trends in prices, to inform preparations for the budget later this year. 

I am monitoring the situation and I will be meeting a range of NGOs at the Department's pre-budget forum next month, and will listen carefully to the views expressed.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.