Ministers will this morning sign off on the payment schedule for each of the cost-of-living lump sum payments agreed in Budget 25.

Cabinet is also due to sign off on the Finance Bill, which will give effect to the wider budget if it is accepted by the Oireachtas.

First off, Ministers will agree that all the lump sum social welfare payments announced last week should be paid before Christmas.

The first double social welfare payment will happen around Halloween, with the second due in the first week of December.

The first double child benefit payment will be made on November 5th, with the second coming on December 3rd.

Over the first three weeks of November, lump sums will also be paid out on the fuel and disability allowance, carer's support grant, and living alone allowance.

Energy grants

Meanwhile, the electricity credits approved in Budget 2025 will be paid out from November 1st.

The first €125 payment will be lodged to customer accounts from the start of next month and the second will be with consumers from January 1st.

Finance Bill

The passage of this year’s Finance Bill through the Oireachtas is being keenly watched as an indicator for the timing of the general election.

Cabinet will approve the bill this morning and it is due for publication on Thursday.

The Finance Bill is the legislation that effectively gives power to the measures announced in the budget each year.

That means last week’s announcement, even though it has been announced, has not formally been approved.

The bill is one of the key milestones that will need to be approved before any election can be called – Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tánaiste Micheál Martin have both made that clear.

The Finance Minister Jack Chambers has made himself available to the Oireachtas Committee in early November.

If that appearance is brought forward and if the budget is rushed through the Dáil and the various other committees, it will be a strong indication that a November election is on the cards.