Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1756. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will increase core social welfare rates by €16 per week as part of the Government’s target to reduce consistency rates to 2% nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41045/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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As Minister for Social Protection, I am fully committed to making the case for a fair budget that protects the people most in need in our society - particularly families on low incomes and those people, including pensioners and carers who are dependent on social welfare payments.

As part of Budget 2025, a €2.6 billion Social Protection package was secured. This was, for the third year in a row, the largest in the history of the State.

Each year, the ESRI produces a post-Budget analysis of the main tax and welfare changes in the Budget. This analysis shows that the package of measures introduced under Budget 2025 will result in average gains in income for most households next year. It also shows that incomes have remained largely stable since 2020 despite a number of crises including the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise in the cost of living.

Earlier this month, I met with many stakeholders at my Department's annual pre-budget forum with a view to continuing this progress. I listened to their priorities for the forthcoming budget. This will be a key input to my thinking on Budget formulation and the measures that I will bring forward for consideration of Government.