Tánaiste wants €10 increase in child benefit rates

THE Tánaiste has said he wants to see a €10 increase in child benefit as well as a pension increase and another round of winter energy credits in the next budget.

Micheál Martin set out a series of measures he wants brought in to benefit parents, householders and pensioners.

The Fianna Fáil leader wants to increase child benefit from its current rate of €140 per child per month. He is also seeking a €12 increase in the State pension, and said the Government will consider another round of energy credits in this year’s budget, but said it would not be ‘in the same order’ as the last payment.

He made the comments hours after his keynote speech brought to an end the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis in Dublin.

Mr Martin denied the potential giveaways are an attempt to throw money at the electorate ahead of a general election.

‘Given how well we manage the public finances and the economy, it’s legitimate to signal to people where we intend to go in the next budget, but also where we intend to go for the next five years,’ Mr Martin told RTÉ’s The Week In Politics.

‘We’re putting huge amounts of money aside in the Future Ireland Fund, and in the Infrastructure and Climate Fund. These funds will provide for generations in terms of pensions and healthcare costs as we’re living longer.

‘Also that we will avoid the stop-start nature of infrastructure spending that we’ve had historically,’ he added.

Minister for Finance Michael McGrath also set out the details of a tax package, including a measure that would see the first €20,000 of a person’s income exempt from income tax.

Mr Martin pointed to a rise in overall taxation revenue in the first quarter of 2024, saying he is ‘entitled’ to set out the various options for the autumn budget.

‘If you look at last year’s budget – about €1.3billion in tax packages – it probably will be somewhat similar to that again in the next budget,’ he said.

He also indicated he would support a proposal to postpone the upcoming referendum on patents. The referendum was to be held in June, on the same day as the local and European elections.

‘It could be very difficult to explain to people and to promote a referendum of that kind in the midst of all the other elections,’ Mr Martin said.

The referendum is on whether Ireland should join the Unified Patent Court, which aims to make it easier for businesses and inventors to copyright their ideas and inventions across the EU.