Sinn Féin will propose an alternative ‘cost of living payment’ that would see households get up to €500 each to relieve the soaring cost of living.
The main opposition party has been crunching the numbers and will present their own costed options in advance of the Government’s own plan expected to be unveiled on Thursday night.
A Sinn Féin source told the Irish Mirror: “We would make direct Cost of Living Cash Payments to support workers and families, in addition to a €100 electricity credit.
“This would mean an individual on income of up to €30,000 would receive a Cost of Living Cash Payment of €200, and an individual on income of €30,000 to €60,000 would receive a Cost of Living Cash Payment of €100.
“This would mean a family on the lowest incomes would receive €500 to offset the increasing cost of living.”
Meanwhile, the Government is set to decide on its official package on Thursday evening which could see relief across a broad range of costs, such as transport, fuel, and health.
It has already committed as part of the package to a €100 energy rebate for every home in the country that will hit people’s pockets before the end of March.
The Government has agreed to give decision-making powers to the select group of ministers on the Cabinet’s special economic subcommittee to sign off on the cost of living relief package.
This committee will meet on Thursday afternoon and evening.
A decision and announcement of the plan is then expected on Thursday evening after the committee agrees on the package.
Ministers for Enterprise Leo Varadkar and Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe were in Trinity College Dublin for an Enterprise Ireland €90million seed funding launch on Wednesday.
The ministers were repeatedly pressed by journalists on what the contents of the new package might be during a Q&A lasting nearly an hour, but they remained tightlipped and revealed nothing new.
