Budget 2025: Tánaiste hits out at 'mischief', saying €15 welfare hike was never proposed

'I’m bemused by the entire thing,'Micheál Martin said

Tánaiste Micheál Martin said there was 'phony spinning' over any increase to social welfare rates by €15, describing it as 'completely overplayed'.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has suggested a €15 hike in social welfare rates was never proposed, saying €12 had been “stitched in” since the summer.

Mr Martin said there was “phony spinning” over any increase to social welfare rates by €15, describing it as “completely overplayed”.

“I’m bemused by the entire thing. I’m reading in newspaper reports about €15,” Mr Martin said.

“It was never €15 that was tabled, ever, in any meeting that I attended. The Summer Economic Statement gave the overall expenditure framework. Go back to that and you see that clearly a €12 increase in the pension is stitched into that.

“Nothing has changed since then. There’s been no attempt to change that.” 

He said there had been “mischief going on” over a €15 hike, saying it had only arisen in the media.

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys had previously indicated she favoured increasing social welfare supports to pensioners, carers and those with disabilities, rather than those on jobseekers benefit.

Mr Martin’s comments come as the Government prepares to deliver a bumper budget on Tuesday, with an expected cost-of-living package to total about €2bn.

Questioned on whether or not it made sense to increase jobseeker payments at a time of full employment, Mr Martin said: “I’m not going to encourage or give any more substance to something that really didn’t have substance from the outset.

“I’d say that there’s a bit of a phony war going on here.” 

He added the matter never arose across the four years in Government, saying it was agreed the same percentage increase would apply due to inflation and the energy crisis from the fallout of the invasion of Ukraine.

The Tánaiste said parts of the overall cost-of-living package would be targeted, while also containing support for high energy costs.