Deirdre Clune
Question:230 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will increase the level of social welfare allowances in view of the recent sharp rise in inflation. [9769/98]
Vol. 490 No. 2
230 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will increase the level of social welfare allowances in view of the recent sharp rise in inflation. [9769/98]
The Economic Background to the 1998 budget, published by the Department of Finance on budget day, projected an average increase of 2 per cent in the consumer price index in 1998. The average consumer price inflation, published by the Central Statistics Office, for the year to March 1998 was of the order of 1.6 per cent, while the year-on-year rate was 2.1 per cent.