I welcome Mr. Paul Keane, consul general of Sweden, and the delegation to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. You are very welcome to Leinster House today, and I hope you have a very enjoyable and beneficial visit. Céad míle fáilte romhaibh go léir. Anois, an Seanadóir Kyne.

I would like to acknowledge and welcome the announcement by the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, this week of the double payments for January on behalf of the Government to pensioners, carers, lone parents and people with disabilities. Some 66,287 people, approximately, in Galway will benefit from these double payments this week. The January cost-of-living double payment will benefit 1.3 million people nationally to the tune of €342 million in additional expenditure. This will help to ease the cost-of-living pressures that undoubtedly every person and family is experiencing. We have seen over the last two and a half years unprecedented national supports to assist people with cost-of-living pressures. As I have said before, we are able to do these things because they are necessary and because of the stewardship over the economy. We have a strong economy with additional revenues, so we are able to assist people. It is important to put all that on the record. I also welcome the welfare increases from budget 2024 that are kicking in. They will assist families and people across the country. Pensioners, carers, lone parents and people with disabilities will receive this automatic payment. As I said, some 66,287 people in Galway will benefit from this additional Government expenditure.