Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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308. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection whether current social welfare rates are meeting the minimum essential standard of living in light of inflation and rising housing, energy and food costs; the revisions being planned in Budget 2026 to address adequacy concerns; the means by which the Department ensures that vulnerable households are protected from falling below subsistence thresholds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51023/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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As Minister for Social Protection, I am 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.

Budget 2025 was, for the third year in a row contained the largest social welfare package in the history of the State. This package included an across the board €12 weekly rate increase in primary payments.

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 would result in average gains in income for most households this 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.

I am therefore satisfied that the most recent Budget protected the most vulnerable in our society.

Focusing particularly on children in 2025, the MESL report notes the positive impact of a number of recent policy measures in this area, including the New Baby Grant, the expansion of the Hot School Meals programme and free school book schemes.

Nevertheless, the Government continues to monitor the situation and will of course take this valuable analysis from the Vincentian MESL Research Centre into account in preparing the Budget. The analysis from the Vincentian MESL Research Centre is funded by the Department of Social Protection.

The MESL report and other useful research and analysis, including the latest prices data published by the CSO, will be important inputs to the Government’s consideration when framing Budget 2026.

In July, 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, particularly in the context provided by the Programme for Government's commitments on core welfare payments.