Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:184. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost to the Exchequer of increasing the State pension by €5 a week. [19993/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 26 May 2015
Ceisteanna (184, 185, 187, 188)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:185. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost to the Exchequer of increasing the living alone allowance by €2.50 a week. [19994/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:187. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost to the Exchequer of fully restoring the Christmas bonus for recipients of the State pension. [19996/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:188. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost to the Exchequer of extending the period covered by the fuel allowance scheme from 26 weeks to 32 weeks. [19997/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 184, 185, 187 and 188 together.
The cost of increasing the State Pension Contributory (SPC) by €5 per week is just over €92 million in a full year. This cost includes the cost of proportionate increases for qualified adults and proportionate increases for those on reduced rates of SPC. The cost of increasing the State Pension Non Contributory by €5 per week is almost €25.5 million in a full year.
A €2.50 weekly increase in the Living Alone Allowance in 2016 would cost almost €24 million in a full year.
Payment of a Christmas Bonus equivalent to 100% of existing entitlement levels to State Pension Contributory and State Pension Non Contributory recipients is €86 million and €20 million, respectively, a total of €106 million.
The cost of extending the duration of Fuel Allowance Scheme by 6 weeks, from 26 weeks to 32 weeks, is estimated at almost €45 million in a full year.
It should be noted that these costings are subject to some change over the coming months, in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2016.