Taoiseach Enda Kenny has indicated that the introduction of budget social welfare increases may be staggered across March.

Mr Kenny told Dáil: “The details and the dates will be published when the Bill is published.”

He was replying to Labour leader Brendan Howlin who expressed his amazement that the dates of the increases had not be published.

Mr Howlin said the spokesperson for the Minister had announced that “the date social welfare increase would take effect had not been agreed”.

He told the Taoiseach: “We worked together for five years as you know and even in the worst of times we never published a budget document without knowing exactly the figures.”

Increases of €5 are to be made in all weekly social welfare payments.

Mr Howlin asked if there would be “some sort of St Patrick’s Day gift” to recipients and said that people needed to know when they would receive these increases.

The Taoiseach told him: “There are so many people involved in receiving a universal payment across the sector. He said that people wanted all payments made as early in the year as possible. “These things all cost money. The Government didn’t have at its disposal an endless pot.”

Mr Howlin asked if people were to receive the rise on the same day or if they were to be staggered. “Are all these matters still under discussion?” he asked. “If that was the case I think it would be a very unacceptable situation.”

Mr Kenny said the payments would be made in March and “the situation will be dealt with in detail by the Minster for Social Protection when the Social Welfare Bill is published”.

Mr Kenny said: “The details and the dates will be published when the Bill is published,” referring to the dates in the plural.