Expenditure on retirement pensions in the first nine months increased by more than €20 million when compared to last year.
Figures out yesterday showed that social security benefits increased to €561 million in September, half of which were retirement pensions.
The National Statistics Office said there was an increase of €2.3 million in payouts for pensions in respect of widowhood while the expenditure on invalidity pensions fell €1.5 million.
The expenditure on children’s allowances topped €32.7 million, an increase of almost €4 million while social assistance payments increased by almost €3 million.