Raise welfare for OAPs now Brexit deal has been agreed, Government is urged
The Government should introduce a supplementary budget to increase the State pension following the conclusion of the first phase of Brexit negotiations, a front-bench Fianna Fáil TD has said.
The party’s social protection spokesperson Willie O’Dea said welfare increases deferred by the Government in the Budget, due to concerns about Brexit, should now be introduced.
Mr O’Dea said Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s commitment to look after pensioners if re-elected would be “a lot more credible” if he budgeted for a pension increase this year.
“The Government has admitted Brexit is out of the way in as far as the Budget is concerned and this was proven by the fact it increased the minimum wage,” he said.
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“So there is no excuse for the Government not to increase welfare payments like they have under pressure from Fianna Fáil in recent years.”
Mr O’Dea said a supplementary budget legislating for the increases could be fast-tracked through the Dáil and result in pension and other social welfare hikes before the end of the year. Increasing all payments by €5 per week would cost around €270m.
Over Christmas, the Taoiseach said he would increase the pension every year at a rate linked to the cost of living or income rates if Fine Gael was returned to power.
He said he could not increase welfare payments across the board this year because of Brexit.
A 30c increase in the minimum wage was delayed by the Government due to fears of a no-deal Brexit.
However, it has since been increased to €10.10 an hour following an agreement between the EU and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on a withdrawal agreement.
Mr O’Dea said: “A person on the minimum wage working 39 hours a week will see their pay increase by €12 per week, which won’t take most of them out of poverty but at least it’s an increase.
“A person on social welfare won’t see any increase in the income and they are some of the poorest people in society.”
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