Budget 2023: Green Party wants to see double-digit pension increases 

Green Party TD and party spokesperson on social protection Marc Ó Cathasaigh said people on social welfare payments 'don't have the capacity to absorb' cost-of-living increases as they do not have the level of 'financial reserves'.

The Green Party will be pushing for a "substantial increase" across all social protection payments as well as targeted supports in the upcoming budget.

Green Party TD and party spokesperson on social protection Marc Ó Cathasaigh has said he wants to see a double-digit increase in pensions and other payments.

It comes amid reports that Fine Gael is pushing against a hike in the job seeker's allowance over concerns this would disincentive people to return to work.

Pointing to energy and fuel hikes, Mr Ó Cathasaigh said people on social welfare payments "don't have the capacity to absorb" cost-of-living increases as they do not have the level of "financial reserves".

"So, I think there needs to be a substantial increase in social welfare payments across the board."

He added a targeted response for vulnerable groups through further increases in the living alone allowance and the qualified child allowance was also required.

Mr Ó Cathasaigh said a range of options had been costed and put forward in the recent tax strategy group papers, including the €15 across-the-board increase to social welfare payments.

Marc Ó Cathasaigh. Picture: Leah Farrell/Rollingnews

"I think that's the level of increase that's required," he told RTÉ radio.

However, he said two options were available, the first being a €15 increase for all social welfare recipients or a slightly lower universal increase which would allow the Government to put more money aside for targeted measures such as the living alone allowance.

"We do need a response in this budget, we need an emergency response in this budget, but we do also need to be looking at the indexation in the long term and the benchmarking of social welfare payments, so this type of conversation is taken out of political arena year-on-year for budgets," he said.

Asked about a push back from Fine Gael in relation to any increase in the €208-a-week job seeker's allowance, he said the Government must ensure "work pays for people".