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The Irish Sun
20-07-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Major €506 Child Benefit & €25 welfare hike alert for Budget 2026 amid ‘important most vulnerable not forgotten' warning
THE countdown to the Budget has started — but hanging over the negotiations is the US President's potential trade war with Europe. Finance Minister 2 Micheal Martin has ruled out a repeat of 2025's €2.6 billion cost-of-living boon Credit: 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved 2 Susanne Rogers believes social welfare rates should increase to prevent vulnerable people being left behind While Taoiseach It is understood Government leaders have agreed to eliminate one-off payments such as energy credits and But where does that leave those hardest hit by the Here, Susanne Rogers, of Social Justice Ireland, says READ MORE ON BUDGET 2026 AS talk of A policy of one-off cost-of-living measures in recent budgets may have provided temporary relief to low-income households, but even with those measures, almost 12 per cent of the population (630,000 people) are living below the Without those one-off measures, more than 758,600 people would be living in poverty. Most read in The Irish Sun Government must use SOCIAL WELFARE : Government made many promises in the Programme for Government. Give me a break' - Watch shock moment Simon Harris & Pearse Doherty clash in fiery spat over cost-of-living crisis Key among them is the commitment to deliver progressive budgets, meaning that those on the lowest incomes are protected. The Minister for Social Protection must benchmark social welfare rates to 27.5 per cent of average weekly earnings. This requires a €25 increase in weekly This is even more critical in light of the increases to essentials such as rent, energy costs and food prices. ELDERLY STRUGGLING OLDER PEOPLE : More than 106,000 older people struggled to make ends meet in 2024, an increase of 64 per cent in a year. Without the temporary measures, one in five older people would have been living below the poverty line. This highlights how vulnerable older people are, due to their reliance on a fixed Contributory and Non-Contributory Pensions by €25 per week and universalise the payment, while increasing the living alone allowance by €10 per week. HIGH RISK OF POVERTY FUEL ALLOWANCE : Increase this by €10 per month and extend the payment to those receiving the Working Family Payment. This also unlocks secondary benefits such as access to retro-fitting grants. DISABILITY : The Programme for Government makes welcome commitments on a cost of The group with the highest risk of poverty and some of the highest rates of deprivation are those unable to work due to long-term illness or disability. To deliver on its promise, Budget 2026 should introduce a cost of disability allowance at €20 a week. BOOST FOR CARERS AND CHILDREN CARERS : Carers provide a huge service to the State. There are over 299,000 people in Ireland providing unpaid care each week, an increase of 53 per cent in six years. To acknowledge and support them, at the very minimum, Government must expand the Free It must increase the annual Carer's Support Grant to €2,150, implement an independent review of Carer's Allowance, increase Domiciliary Care Allowance to €385 per month, and pilot a Universal Basic Services and a Universal Basic Income Scheme for Carers at a cost of €10million, in line with the Programme for Government Commitment to a Carers Guarantee. KEY ROUTE CHILDREN : Child benefit remains a key route to tackling child poverty. In 2024, more than 190,000 children in Ireland were living in poverty, a statistic that should shock us all. Government should increase Child Benefit by €506, increase the Child Support Payment for under-12s by €6 and for those aged 12 and over by €15. It should also introduce an additional two weeks' paternity and Life on a low income is the norm for a large number of people in Ireland. But it shouldn't be. Government must use Budget 2026 to change this trend and improve the standard of living for vulnerable households. The first step is setting adequate social welfare rates.
The Irish Sun
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
‘Weakest in society get left behind' alert amid €25 welfare rates boost & €50 Child Benefit hike in Budget 2026 demand
A HIKE of €25 in social welfare rates is needed to close income gaps between poorer households and the better-off, a think-tank will tell the Government today. Social Justice Ireland is attending today's Pre- 1 A hike of €25 in social welfare rates is needed to close income gaps Credit: Getty Images - Getty The advocacy organisation is set to call on the Government to prioritise vulnerable households, deliver on its commitment to progressive budgets and to close income gaps which it says have opened "as a result of temporary measures in recent budgets". Its CEO John McGeady will outline how income gaps have grown in recent years. He will point out that 'looking at permanent changes in He is set to add: "Last year's Budget put €1,214 per annum more into the pockets of someone on €100,000 a year than it gave to someone on the lowest income. Reversing these growing income gaps must inform Budget 2026." Read more in News Among the think-tank's proposals on social welfare is the benchmarking of core social welfare rates to average earnings. The organisation also wants a €25 increase in core social welfare payments in Budget 2026. Mr McGeady will add: "We are also calling for the equalisation of Jobseeker's rates for young people under 25, and the introduction a cost of disability allowance in Budget 2026." He will say: "A lesson from past experiences of economic recovery and growth is that the weakest in our society get left behind unless welfare increases track increases elsewhere in the economy. Most read in Money "Even after the provision of social welfare payments, in 2024 (the latest data available) there were almost 630,000 people in Ireland living below the poverty line, including 190,000 aged under 18. "Income adequacy cannot be addressed by one-off measures as has been the case in recent Budgets. 'CERTAINTY AND PERMANENCE' "Those reliant on social transfers need certainty and permanence. "Adequacy must be embedded into our social protection system if we are to address poverty and meet our national poverty targets as set out in the Roadmap for Social Inclusion." The Social Justice Ireland proposals are as follows: Minimum Social Welfare rates : SJI says: "A social welfare payment must provide an adequate safety net to lift people out of poverty. This is even more critical in light of increases to essentials such as rent, energy and heating costs, the risks to food security. As a start Budget 2026 should increase minimum core social welfare rates by €25 per week. The rate of jobseekers for those aged between 18 and 24 (not living independently) is currently inadequate to meet even basic needs and must be raised to the full adult rate." STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET Indexation : SJI says: "Social Justice Ireland supports the indexation of minimum social welfare payments to ensure recipients do not fall behind the rest of society. Government should commit to benchmarking core social welfare rates to 27.5 per cent of average earnings in Budget 2026. This benchmark should be used as the starting point in the development of an indexation system for social welfare rates." Older people : SJI says: "Even with temporary cost of living measures, the poverty rate among older people increased by 64 per cent in 2024, with more than 106,000 older people struggling to make ends meet. Older people are particularly vulnerable due to their overwhelming reliance on a fixed income. Government should increase the State Contributory and Non-Contributory Pensions by €25 per week and universalise the payment, starting in January 2026." Increase the Living Alone Allowance : SJI says raise this "by €10 a week in Budget 2026 to support older people living alone". Fuel Allowance : SJI says: "Increase the fuel allowance by €10 per month and extend the payment to those in receipt of Working Family Payment. This also unlocks secondary benefits such as access to retrofitting grants." GRANT SHOULD BE REINSTATED Bereavement Grant : SJI says: "Recent research from the Irish Hospice Foundation shows that 30,000 households every year are impacted by a bereavement with many facing difficult and unforeseen costs. The Bereavement Grant should be reinstated at the rate of €850 per person deceased." Disability: SJI says: "The group in Irish society with the highest risk of poverty are those who are unable to work due to long‐term illness or disability. Social Justice Ireland believes that the introduction of a cost of disability allowance to at €20 a week is vital to address the high rates of poverty experienced by this group." Carers: SJI says: "Carers provide a huge service to the State. According to the latest census data there are over 299,000 unpaid carers in Ireland providing unpaid care each week, an increase of 53 per cent in six years. To acknowledge and support the work of carers in Ireland, at the very minimum in Budget 2026 Government must: Expand the Free Travel scheme to include people in receipt of Domiciliary Care Allowance. Increase the annual Carer's Support Grant to €2,150. Implement an independent review of Carer's Allowance. Increase the Domiciliary Care Allowance to €385 per month. Pilot a Universal Basic Services and a Universal Basic Income Scheme for Carers at a cost of €10m in line with the Programme for Government Commitment to a Carers Guarantee." Children : SJI concludes: "Child benefit remains a key route to tackling child poverty and is of particular value to those families on the lowest incomes. In 2024, more than 190,000 children in Ireland were living in poverty. As a first step towards investing more to address, reduce and prevent child poverty in Irish society Social Justice Ireland proposes: an increase of €50 in the Child Benefit payment in Budget 2026. an increase to the Qualified Child Allowance for children under 12 by €6 and children over 12 by €15. an additional two weeks paternity leave. an additional two weeks of paid parental leave. Expansion of the Hot School Meals Programme to all DEIS second level schools."
The Irish Sun
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
New Budget blow with Donohoe in ‘cost of living challenge' alert after €50 Child Benefit warning & welfare freeze plot
BUDGET 2026 "will try to respond to the pressures households and businesses face" - but at a more normal level than the public has seen for years, it's warned. Finance Minister 4 Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers are both working on Budget 2026 Credit: Cillian Sherlock/PA Wire 4 Michelle Murphy of Social Justice Ireland said social welfare must provide a safety net to lift people out of poverty Credit: Social Justice Ireland Calls have been made for all weekly core But the Minister warned that because of Speaking in Fermoy, Co "But just because the rate of increase of prices has slowed down, does not mean that the cost of living pressures that many are facing are any easier. I absolutely understand that. READ MORE IN MONEY "We do have to move to a more normal budget policy that we have had for a number of years." Minister Donohoe said the balance has to be struck between spending He said: "Every single budget that a Government brings forward and that the previous Government brought forward does find different ways of helping with cost of living challenges within our society. "But we do have to get the balance right. MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN "We are also living in very uncertain times - we have to be careful with our public finances. We also need to find ways that we can invest more in our future." An independent think-tank has called for ALL weekly social welfare rates to increase by €25 and be benchmarked to average earnings in October's budget. This would bring core payments to €269 a week in 2026. Social Justice Ireland has also called for the Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary has already confirmed his department is "working on" a payment as part of "key" However, the Fianna Fail TD has He said the move would cost the State €256.5 million. "Income adequacy cannot be addressed by one-off measures as has been the case in recent Budgets." Michelle Murphy Social Justice Ireland A worth an average €285 each month would allow lower-income families to top up the existing €140-a-month benefit currently paid out to around 650,000 Irish families. The €140 flat payment would still be paid to everyone, regardless of income. Social Justice Ireland has also said the payment rate of Michelle Murphy, Research and Policy Analyst for Social Justice Ireland, said the rate "is currently inadequate to meet even the most basic of needs and must be increased to the full adult rate". But Tanaiste He indicated that the Government may EXPANSIONARY PACKAGE TANAISTE Simon Harris told colleagues that the Budget will be an "expansionary package Speaking in June at the Although nothing has been confirmed and Harris said decisions have yet to be made, he told the meeting that the VAT rate for small businesses will be He also said childcare fees must be permanently reduced over the lifetime of this government. Harris also said the cost of education, across all levels, must be reduced along with healthcare costs, and significant progress should be made in children's disability services and special education. The payment currently has a maximum rate of €244 each week for those who meet certain eligibility conditions. Asked if the Government will separate the jobseekers allowance from other welfare hikes in the budget, the Tanaiste told the Irish Sun: 'I do always think there is merit in not looking at social welfare payments with uniformity across the board. 'We've been talking a lot about college fees the last couple of days unexpectedly perhaps but roughly speaking the equivalent of €1.20 or €1.25 on every social welfare payment is roughly the equivalent of 'I'm not convinced that you need to see as significant a rise in the dole as you do in the pension for example at a time when our country is in full employment and there's lots of supports out there for people getting into work and there is other supports out there for people who can't work for very many good reasons. "That is my view but we will thrash all that out in the Budget and there's a long way to go." ONE-OFF MEASURES BLAST SJI's Michelle Murphy said that, even after the provision of social welfare payments in 2024, there were almost 630,000 people in Ireland And she told how social welfare payments must provide an adequate safety net to lift people out of poverty and provide a "basic but decent" standard of living. She explained: "Income adequacy cannot be addressed by one-off measures as has been the case in recent Budgets. "Those reliant on social transfers need certainty. This is even more critical in light of "Even with falling rates of inflation, prices will remain high placing real pressures on household budgets. "Recent Budgets have focused on temporary measures. What is needed is certainty and permanence for those reliant on social transfers. "A €25 increase is required to benchmark core social welfare rates to 27.5 per cent of average earnings and to address the impact of continued inflation on low income households, bringing core payments to €269 a week in 2026." NO BUDGET 2026 BONANZA PACKAGE But Finance Minister Donohoe emphasised that He added: "Of course that budget will contain measures that will try to respond back to the pressures that businesses and households face." The Budget 2025 package - the It included two double Budget 2025 also provided an additional October cost-of-living double payment as well as the usual social welfare Christmas bonus. But Donohoe and Public Expenditure Minister 4 Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe Credit: EPA/OLIVIER MATTHYS 4 Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers Credit: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Irish Times
09-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Welfare payments fall short for decent standard of living, Oireachtas committee hears
Social welfare payments are inadequate to provide a minimum essential standard of living, the Oireachtas committee on Social protection heard on Wednesday. Speaking at the committee, Michelle Murphy, research and policy analyst at think tank Social Justice Ireland , said, 'even after the provision of social welfare payments, in 2024, there were almost 630,000 people in Ireland living below the poverty line'. The committee met to discuss pre-budget submissions with relevant organisations. 'Government should commit to benchmarking core social welfare rates to 27.5 per cent of average weekly earnings. At a minimum, this requires an increase of €25 in core social welfare rates in 2026,' said Ms Murphy. READ MORE Social Justice Ireland has proposed several measures to support those on lower incomes, including increasing child benefit by €50 per month and introducing a cost-of-disability allowance of €20 a week. Executive director of the Simon Communities of Ireland Ber Grogan told the committee that the State had the highest number of homeless people in emergency accommodation at the end of May. [ Children's charity Barnardos issues bulletin on cost of living: 'Dreading next winter's bills' Opens in new window ] She said it can be estimated that an additional 24,000 people are 'experiencing hidden homelessness', such as those couch surfing, sleeping rough, living in cars or inadequate housing. She listed several recommended measures, which she called 'pragmatic asks'. These included increasing rent supplement in line with existing tenancy rates and increasing core social welfare rates by at least €16 a week. Alone chief executive Sean Moynihan said: 'With once-off supports set to be withdrawn from Budget 2026, targeted supports are now essential' to prevent increasing poverty among older people. He noted that while Social Justice Ireland places the poverty line at €323.99 per week for a one-adult household, the maximum weekly rate for the State Pension is €289.30 for those under 80. Does the Government lack a clear plan for how to spend our money? Listen | 36:58 Alone's pre-budget submission includes recommendations to increase the pension by at least €22, to bump up the fuel allowance for older people by at least €20 and increase the living-alone allowance by at least €10. Catherine Cox, head of communications and policy at Family Carers Ireland , noted that while the Coalition has committed to fully funding the carer guarantee , geared to ensure that every family carer has access to a consistent level of support, only half of the budget has been provided for this. She called on the Government to 'provide the outstanding €3.3 million towards the carer guarantee in this year's budget'. Family Carers Ireland has also asked for the carer's allowance and carer's benefit to be increased to €325 a week and to allow carers above 66 years to receive the full allowance while in receipt of the State pension. At present, carers in receipt of that pension can receive only half the standard carer's allowance rate following a measure introduced in 2007. Irish Foster Care Association chief executive Corrine Hasson said a recent survey of its members found 78 per cent of foster carers are using their income to cover expenses for their foster child. She said the recent announcement that foster carers are to be included in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance 'fell short of expectations' as it involves means testing for the yearly payment. She called on the Government to 'ensure foster carers receive financial supports that reflect the growing financial demands of caring for a child', including removing means testing conditions for the back-to-school allowance. Lily Power, policy officer at The Wheel , the Republic's national association of community and voluntary organisations, said that an uncertain global context, increasing inequality, polarisation and climate breakdown will make policymaking particularly difficult for 2026. Among The Wheel's recommendations are to provide funding on a full-cost recovery basis to ensure services can continue to be delivered by the voluntary and community sector, and a move towards provision of multiannual funding for the sector on a phased basis.
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
‘Increase ALL weekly social welfare rates by €25' Budget 2026 alert with €50 Child Benefit rise & new €80 monthly cash
ALL weekly social welfare rates must increase by €25 and be benchmarked to average earnings in the next Budget, an independent think-tank will tell an Oireachtas committee today. The Dail welfare watchdog committee will also hear that the payment rate of jobseekers aged 18 and 24 must be increased to the full adult rate. 1 Proposals to increase weekly social welfare rates by €25 have been made Credit: Getty Michelle Murphy, Research and Policy Analyst for the think-tank, said the rate "is currently inadequate to meet even the most basic of needs and must be increased to the full adult rate". Social Justice Ireland (SJI) is set to present its Speaking to the Irish Sun about their proposals, Ms Murphy said: "A social welfare payment must provide an adequate safety net to lift people out of poverty and allow for a household to provide for a basic but decent standard of living. "Even after the provision of social welfare payments, in 2024 there were almost 630,000 people in Ireland living below the poverty line. Read more in Money "Income adequacy cannot be addressed by one-off measures as has been the case in recent Budgets. "Those reliant on social transfers need certainty. "This is even more critical in light of sharp increases to essentials such as rent, food and heating costs. "Even with falling rates of inflation, prices will remain high placing real pressures on household budgets. Most read in Money "Recent Budgets have focused on temporary measures. What is needed is certainty and permanence for those reliant on social transfers. "A €25 increase is required to benchmark core social welfare rates to 27.5 per cent of average earnings and to address the impact of continued inflation on low income households, bringing core payments to €269 a week in 2026." Martin vows to do 'everything we can' to reduce pressure on families ahead of Budget 2026 The committee, chaired by The call to increase the jobseekers payment for those aged 18 to 24 to the adult rate will cost roughly €54 million. The group also want to see the introduction of a cost of disability allowance at €20 a week - €80 a month. Ms Murphy told us: "Social Justice Ireland welcomed the commitment to a cost of disability support payment in the Programme for Government. CASH CALL "To address the high rates of poverty and deprivation experienced by this group, the introduction of a cost of disability allowance at €20 a week at a cost of €228m in Budget 2026 should be prioritised and built upon in subsequent Budgets." There is also a call for an increase in the Domiciliary Care Allowance to €385 per month, along with the pilot of a Universal Basic Services and a Universal Basic Income Scheme for Carers in line with the Programme for Government Commitment to a Carers Guarantee. Explaining this, Ms Murphy told us: "Carers provide a huge service to the State. According to the latest census data there are over 299,000 unpaid carers in Ireland providing unpaid care each week, an increase of 53 per cent in six years. FAMILY HELP "To acknowledge and support the work of carers in Ireland, at the very minimum in Budget 2026 Government must: Increase the Domiciliary Care Allowance to €385 per month at a cost of €17m. Pilot a Universal Basic Services and a Universal Basic Income Scheme for Carers at a cost of €10m in line with the Programme for Government Commitment to a Carers Guarantee." Social Justice Ireland also want to see more done in the area of child benefit. They are urging the Government to Increase the payment by €50 - at a cost of €777 million - and increase Child Support Payments for those under 12 by €6 a week and €15 for those aged 12 and over, at a cost of €130 million. An Increase the fuel allowance by €10 per month and extending it to including Working Family Payment recipients is also a part of their proposal. Budget 2026 Social Protection Priorities SOCIAL Justice Ireland's social protection priorities for the next Budget include the following: Budget 2026 should increase minimum social welfare rates by €25 per week. This is the increase required to benchmark welfare rates to average earnings. In addition, the rate of jobseekers for those aged between 18 and 24 (not living independently) must be increased to the full adult rate. Introduce a cost of disability allowance at €20 a week at in Budget 2026 which should be built upon in subsequent Budgets. Increase the Domiciliary Care Allowance to €385 per month and pilot a Universal Basic Services and a Universal Basic Income Scheme for Carers in line with the Programme for Government Commitment to a Carers Guarantee. Increase child benefit by €50 and increase Child Support Payments for those under 12 by €6 a week and €15 for those aged 12 and over. Universalise the State Pension (contributory and non-contributory) and increase the rate by €25 per week and increase the Living Alone Allowance by €10 a week. Increase the fuel allowance by €10 per month and extend it Working Family Payment recipients. Also included in the SJI proposals are a number of priorities for rural development and the community and voluntary sector. The big ticket items include a €100m allocation to Regional Development and Transition in Budget 2026, an additional €25m to Enterprise Ireland to develop and support indigenous enterprises and job creation across the regions, and an additional €25m for Failte Ireland to promote island, local and regional tourism initiatives. They also want to see the Government invest €5m to establish a Farm Sustainability Passport pilot programme in Budget 2026. Alongside this they also want to see an investment of €50m to the Rural Transport Programme and the creation of a €48m fund to provide grants for electric vehicles targeted at rural dwellers only. TRANSPORT UPGRADES Ms Murphy said: "Investment in the social and economic infrastructure of the regions is vital to deliver on Government's commitment to balanced regional development. "This requires addressing the existing challenges facing Rural Ireland; an older population, higher rates of part-time employment, lower median incomes, higher poverty rates, and distance from everyday services. "Capacity building to meet future challenges is also essential and the Unit for Future Planning must prioritise regional development." Ms Murphy will state to the committee later today that "income adequacy cannot be addressed by one-off measures as has been the case in recent Budgets". Budget 2026 Rural & Community Priorities SOCIAL Justice Ireland priorities for the next Budget in the area of rural and community sectors include: A €100m allocation to Regional Development and Transition in Budget 2026 to support development Regional Economic Development Zones, continued development of local cooperatives, and development of a robust rural proofing framework. An additional €25m to Enterprise Ireland to develop and support indigenous enterprises and job creation across the regions, and an additional €25m for Failte Ireland to promote island, local and regional tourism initiatives. Government should invest €5m to establish a Farm Sustainability Passport pilot programme in Budget 2026. An investment of €50m to the Rural Transport Programme, increasing the range of public transport options. A €48m fund should be established to provide grants for electric vehicles targeted at rural dwellers only, with grants of between €3,500 up to €10,000 depending on household income, and a €600 EV home charger grant. Provide adequate, multi-annual resourcing to the Community and Voluntary sector, starting in Budget 2026 with an allocation of €70m to include pay increases for the sector. An additional allocation of €4m in Budget 2026 to support Public Participation Networks, capacity building and meaningful engagement with policy structures at local level. Youth workers and youth services provide vital spaces for young people to learn and grow away from school and family. Budget 2026 should allocate an extra €21m to address the funding shortfall experienced by many youth services across the country and foster growth in the sector. Resource a National Action Plan to tackle loneliness and isolation at a cost of €4m. She will add: "Those reliant on social transfers need certainty and permanence. "Adequacy must be embedded into our social protection system if we are to address poverty and meet our national poverty targets as set out in the Roadmap for Social Inclusion." Tanaiste At the start of the month, the leader held talks with business leaders, trade unions and State agencies in Dublin to discuss the potential on the Irish economy. TARIFFS THREAT On that day, he indicated that the Government may freeze the allowance at its current level instead of including it in any in the upcoming budget. Asked if the Government will separate the jobseekers allowance from other welfare hikes in the budget, the Tanaiste told the Irish Sun: 'I do always think there is merit in not looking at social welfare payments with uniformity across the board. 'We've been talking a lot about college fees the last couple of days unexpectedly perhaps but roughly speaking the equivalent of €1.20 or €1.25 on every social welfare payment is roughly the equivalent of reducing the college fees by €1,000. 'I'm not convinced that you need to see as significant a rise in the dole as you do in the pension for example at a time when our country is in full employment and there's lots of supports out there for people getting into work and there is other supports out there for people who can't work for very many good reasons. 'LONG WAY TO GO' 'That is my view but we will thrash all that out in the Budget and there's a long way to go.' Government leaders have also for the upcoming Budget as they plan to dial back spending due to concerns about the economic impact of the Trump tariffs. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Public Expenditure Minister previously admitted that they are reluctant to make any spending or taxation decisions in Budget 2026 that "create new risks". This year's lack of cost of living package has led to a row between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael over college fees which were temporarily lowered by €1,000 in the last Budget but in the next Budget unless action is taken.
