Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-30
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Cian O'Callaghan (SD), Dublin Bay North

The leaks on the budget are not coming from the Opposition. They are coming from the Government. Where does the Taoiseach think they are coming from? Where does he think those headlines came from? They have pensioners worried sick. Is this just some sort of cynical ploy to manage expectations so that if it the increase is more than €7.50, people are meant to be grateful, even though the Government is breaking its promise of €12? Specifically on the promise that Fianna Fáil gave in the last election, I have the election manifesto here. Does the Taoiseach remember it? It gave, in black and white, a commitment to pensioners of at least a €12 increase in their pension every year that Fianna Fáil is in government.
That is the commitment the Taoiseach gave. He broke it last year. Does he understand that pensioners are relying on him to keep his word? It is not a laughing matter. People are worried sick about how they will make ends meet. Is the Taoiseach going to stick to his word and give a €12 increase, or will he do better by doing what the Social Democrats are proposing, which is to give a €15 increase to pensioners, as provided for in our alternative budget?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-30/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T01:00:59+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-30