ATD Ireland response to Budget 2026 – All Together in Dignity

ATD Ireland welcomes in targeted measures for families living in poverty and dependent on social welfare payments to meet the cost of their weakly expenses – in particular €8 euro increase in the qualified child, under 12, payment and the €16 increase in the qualified child, over 12, payment.

However, it is disappointing to see that the core social welfare adult payments have been increased by only €10. In order to reduce the level of child poverty, it is necessary to ensure that the total family incomes is adequate to meet the weekly cost of a minimum essential standard of living (MESL). The inadequate change to the adult rates means that the overall change to the household income falls short of what is needed for them to purchase essential food, clothing and other basic goods and services.

According to the March 2025, CSO SILC data (CSO SILC data), the rate of consistent poverty among children has increase from 4,8% in March 2024 to 8,5% and to 11% for one parent families. The failures to give serious attention to achieving adequacy in the core adult rate can only limit the value of the targeted increases to the qualified child payments.

ATD Ireland also welcomes the following:

The increase in the National Minimum Wage to €14,15 but regrets that it is below the MESL Living Wage rate at €15,40.

The extension of the fuel allowance to families eligible for the Working Families Payment, however, the increase of €5 to the fuel allowance is inadequate to allow household to meet the cost of their energy needs.

See here to read ATD Ireland’s 2026 pre- budget submission.