Cost of Living Issues
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-15
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Dara Calleary (FF), Mayo

I have given Deputy O'Reilly the answer. I have given her the increases that we have made in payments this year. There is a €28.9 billion investment in social welfare, €1.15 billion in new measures, and €320 million to reduce child poverty. As I said, there are record increases in the child support payment. These increases are well in excess of inflation, particularly for children over the age of 12. Once again, I reiterate that there is a €16 per week increase to €78, which is 26%, and a weekly increase of €8 for children under 12, which is a 16% increase. That brings the child support payment to €3,000 for children under 12 and over €4,000 for children over 12. We have also increased the fuel allowance. There is a 15% increase of €5 per week for those on fuel allowance and we have extended it for the first time to those on the working family payment and to those in employment. There is a significant change in the fuel allowance and that will provide a lump sum to those on the working family payment at the beginning of March. I reiterate that there is a €28.9 billion investment in social welfare, with €1.15 billion in new measures for 2026, and €320 million of that €1.15 billion is for child poverty. We are addressing poverty on a daily basis and that kicked in from 1 January.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-15/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:30+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-15