Expenditure on social security benefits increased by seven per cent in the first half of the year, mainly on account of higher expenditure on retirement pensions, children's allowance and bonus.

The National Statistics Office said this morning expenditure on social security benefits amounted to €390.4 million in the first six months, up by €25.4 million over the same period last year.

This mainly reflected higher expenditure on contributory benefits, amounting to €19.1 million.

Concurrently, non-contributory benefits went up by €6.3 million.

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