Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1758. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will increase the living alone allowance to ensure a targeted measure to support single adult households, in line with MESL research; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41048/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Primary weekly social welfare payments are intended to enable recipients to meet their basic day-to-day income needs. In addition to these primary payments, my Department also provides a range of other payments on a weekly, monthly, or less frequent basis. These payments are considered secondary in nature and cannot be made available to those who are not in receipt of a primary payment.The Living Alone Increase (LAI) is one of those secondary payments. It is not a scheme or a stand-alone payment, but it is a supplement to a primary social protection payment of €22 per week made to people aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are living alone. For those aged 66 or over, payments eligible for the LAI include State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-Contributory), Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension, Bereaved Partner's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme and Deserted Wife's Benefit. LAI is also paid to people aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Incapacity Supplement or Blind Pension.

The rate of primary and secondary payments to pensioners, and their adequacy, are considered in the context of the annual budgetary process. In doing so, the Government considers evidence from a wide range of sources, including agencies such as the CSO, and also research submitted by advocacy groups such as the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice, who measure the “Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL)”.

Any change to the rate payable for this payment will have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1759. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will work towards aligning the child support payment to the primary social welfare payment and increase the payment by €6 per week for children under 12 and €15 per week for children 12 and over; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41049/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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.

One of the measures provided for in the package was a €4 increase to the Child Support Payment for Children under 12 and an €8 increase for children aged 12 and over.

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.