Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath has promised “a very significant package of measures” to help the most vulnerable in the upcoming budget.
Earlier today, Fianna Fáil backbencher Cathal Crowe urged the Government to increase the pension by €15 to help the elderly and the Irish Independent has reported that a second €200 energy credit will be offered to households.
The minister did not directly endorse either policy but hinted that he was sympathetic to them:
“We do have three broad priorities,” Minister McGrath told Newstalk Breakfast.
“One is to look after the most vulnerable in so far as we can, recognising that the cost of living is having a disproportionate impact on them.
“That will have to involve a very significant package of one off measures that are targeted and they can be implemented quickly.
“The second priority is for working people and working families, who will also need support in relation to the cost of living and who generally will want to see us apply downward pressure to the day to day costs that they face in areas like childcare and transport and health and reduce the tax burden where we can.
“And thirdly, it is about public services; since we came into office we have seen a significant shift in favour of emphasising public services.”
Public sector pay
Mr McGrath also suggested that the Government was ready to compromise on the issue of public sector pay rises; the Department of Public Expenditure has offered civil servants an additional 2.5 pay increase this year but unions are unhappy that this is still less than the current rate of inflation:
“We’ve always made the point that pay alone cannot fully offset the impact of inflation - you have to take account of the other measures that the Government has implemented,” he said.
“But I’ve acknowledged that the current terms of the pay deal… need to be improved… And I think the truth is in order to land a deal, there will need to be movement on both sides.”
Main image: Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath speaking to media before entering Dublin Castle for a Cabinet meeting. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov / RollingMews.ie
