Written answers
Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Social Welfare Rates
Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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904. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to explain the Government’s intentions in respect of its draft Programme for Government commitment to progressively increase a number of welfare payments (details supplied); if these increases will be benchmarked against a particular measure, such as the minimum essential standard of living; if these increases will solely apply to those listed in the draft document or all welfare rates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1786/25]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The incoming Government has not yet published a finalised and agreed Programme for Government. The last Programme for Government was 'Our Shared Future', published in 2020.
In respect of welfare payment rates, successive Governments have listened closely to the views of Deputies in this House, the community and voluntary pillar, advocacy groups and other stakeholders, especially in the run up to the Budget.
Budget 2025, announced in October 2024, was the largest social protection budget in the history of the state. It provided an across the board increase of at least €12 weekly on most schemes, with some, including maternity benefit, increasing by more. These weekly increases came into effect from the start of this month and were supplemented by significant lump sum measures delivered in Quarter 4 last year.
Social Impact analysis undertaken in relation to Budget 2025 finds that it has a very progressive impact, with the lowest income deciles benefitting the most.
It should be noted that any future changes to the rates of social welfare payments would need to be considered in an overall budgetary context and are subject to Government approval.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
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