The Dáil is set to finalise the Social Welfare Bill within a scant two days, fuelling rumours of a forthcoming general election prior to Christmas. Typically, the legislation, which authorises the payments and raises decreed in the 2025 Budget, proceeds through the varying degrees of dialogue and deliberation over the course of a month. However, in a rare occurrence, the second stage of the legislation was wrapped up in the Dáil in a mere two hours on Tuesday, with the remaining committee and stages slated for completion within an hour on Wednesday, at which point conversation will be curtly culminated.
Heather Humphreys, the Minister for Social Protection, brought the Bill to the Dáil, stating the necessity of passing its parts ahead of the Halloween intermission to ensure disbursements can commence in November. Yet, Mattie McGrath, an Independent TD, suggested that the swift resolution could be in favour of “an imminent election,” and inquired if it was a “trick or treat”.
Ms Humphreys, having weathered five budget cycles as the Minister for Social protection, remarked about her navigation through challenging situations like the post-Brexit climate, the pandemic, the Ukrainian conflict, inflation, and rising living costs. She noted that in her experience, one cannot satisfy everyone and there will always be appeals to do more. “We must recognise we can’t fulfil all needs, but we can certainly extend support to those most in need,” she stated.
In terms of the specifics of the Bill, Ms Humphreys brought to light that while keeping a household running and meeting basic needs are still financially draining tasks, the Government’s budget aims to back families and the weakest among us, while returning funds to the pockets of the populace.
The Bill stipulates a weekly increase of €12 in basic social welfare payments. It also grants the self-employed access to a carer’s benefit and a €15 rise in the weekly maternity benefit rate to €289 starting January, along with corresponding increases in adoptive benefit, paternity benefit, and parent’s benefit. The carer’s benefit will see an increase from €340 to €360.
The Bill also contains provisions for a €60 increase in the weekly income benchmarks of the working family payment applicable to all family sizes, and for individuals whose employment earnings remain static, there will be a weekly increase of €36.
The proposed legislation provides for double child benefit in November and December and one-time payments of €400 to working families next month. On January 1st, as the minimum wage rises from €12.70 to €13.50 an hour, the income threshold for employees will also increase; employers will maintain an 8.9% weekly tax, as opposed to 11.15%. The threshold will climb from €496 to €527 weekly.
Paul Donnelly of Sinn Féin has criticised the budget, claiming it fails to address necessary adjustments that would enhance the living conditions of the underprivileged, including carers, children, and the disabled. Donnelly suggested the Government may be trying to sway the election, arguing that one-time incentives do not address the ongoing problem of poverty or assist the vast number of children living in such conditions.
Labour’s Seán Sherlock highlighted that recent years have seen an over-reliance on these types of one-off methods. While recognizing that families appreciated the financial relief, he questioned the long-term sustainability of such a practice.