State Pensions

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 October 2023

Tuesday, 10 October 2023

Ceisteanna (319, 323, 329)

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

319. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in line with the recommendations of the Pensions Commission, a smoothed earnings method to calculating a benchmarked or indexed rate of State pension payments will be introduced as an input to the annual budget process and submitted to Government for its consideration in September each year, commencing in 2023; if the benchmarking report has been submitted to Government; if so, when the report will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43510/23]

Joan Collins

Ceist:

323. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if a benchmarking report (details supplied) has been submitted to Government; and if so, when the report will be published. [43655/23]

Ivana Bacik

Ceist:

329. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection if the report on benchmarking or indexation of State pension payments has been submitted to the Government; if so, when the report will be published; her views on the recommendations of the Pensions Committee to the effect that such a report should form part of the annual budget negotiation process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43832/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

I propose to take Questions Nos. 319, 323 and 329 together.

Last September I announced a series of reforms to the State Pension system in response to the recommendations from the Commission on Pensions. As part of this, the Government committed that a smoothed earnings method to calculating a benchmarked/indexed rate of State Pension payments will be introduced as an input to the annual budget process and be submitted to Government each year from 2023.

My Department has completed the benchmarking calculation and it has been submitted to Government as an input to the Budget 2024 process. This input has been considered as part of the overall Budgetary discussions in the context of wider economic and environmental factors, Budget expenditure pressures across Departments, and taking into account any once-off measures, which may be agreed as a response to cost of living pressures.