Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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1345. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the cost of increasing the PRSI threshold for employers in line with a minimum wage increase of €1.35; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45026/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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In order to keep the employer PRSI class A threshold in line with a national minimum wage increase of €1.35 from the current rate of €13.50 per hour to €14.85 per hour, the threshold would need to increase from €527 to €580 per week. This would ensure that employers with full time (39 hours per week) employees earning that level of national minimum wage would continue to be liable for the lower employer PRSI rate.

The estimated cost of increasing the employer threshold from €527 to €580 per week is €71 million in a full year.

This estimate does not take into account any possible changes in employer behaviour arising from changing the rate of employer PRSI.

Brian Stanley (Laois, Independent)
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1346. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the fuel allowance thresholds will be increased for those in receipt of the State Pension contributory and the State Pension non-contributory in the upcoming budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45032/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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There have been significant improvements made in recent years to the Fuel Allowance Scheme. These improvements have resulted in many more households qualifying for the payment.

In 2023, the enhanced Fuel Allowance measures for people aged 70 years and over were introduced. These measures included increased allowable means for those aged over 70 of €500 and €1,000 for a couple. Those in receipt of the State Pension contributory and the State Pension non-contributory aged over 70 also benefitted from the enhanced allowable means.

As part of Budget 2025 the enhanced Fuel Allowance qualifying conditions were made available to those aged 66 and over and the allowable means was increased to €524 for a single person and €1,048 for a couple allowing more applicants to qualify for the payment.

Any further changes to the criteria for accessing the fuel allowance scheme would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.