Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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158. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the first-year and full-year cost of increasing the State pension by €1 per week per person. [36573/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The estimated annual cost of increasing pension payments to all recipients aged 66 years or over by €1 is €40.6 million.

This includes the following schemes but only where payable to those people aged 66 and over:

• State Pension (Contributory)
• Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension
• Deserted Wife's Benefit
• Death Benefit Pension
• State Pension (Non-Contributory)
• Carer's Allowance
• Half Rate Carer's Allowance

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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159. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the first-year and full-year cost of increasing all working-age social welfare payments (recipients aged 18-65 inclusive) to bring them in line with the minimum essential standards of living. [36574/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The estimated annual cost of bringing all working-age social welfare weekly payments (at 2025 rates) in line with the recently published MESL 2025 rates is €1.51 billion.

It should be noted that this costing includes a proportionate increase for qualified adults and for those on reduced rates of payment, where relevant.

This costing is based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2025, and is subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of recipients.