People on a number of different payments and allowances could see a big boost in the coming days as the government is set to tackle the rising cost of living.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin told a Fianna Fail meeting on Wednesday night that supports will be put in place to help working people and those on lower incomes.
And among the potential changes are a double week's payment of the Fuel Allowance, or a lump sum for recipients, RTE reports.
A €10 increase in the Weekly Family Payment could be brought forward to April, and the €113.50 electricity bill credit which is due to be sent to every household in Ireland could also be doubled.
However government is still discussing the measures and a final decision is not expected to be made until a Cabinet committee meeting on Thursday evening.
Tanaiste Leo Vardakar is set to lead the meeting of senior government ministers.
It comes after the government's first steps to tackle the cost of living crisis saw a €8 billion scheme aimed at reducing the cost of retrofitting homes to make them more energy efficient announced earlier this week.
People will be able to apply for grants, limited at approximately €25,000, from March onwards.
Minister Eamon Ryan explained: "About one and a half million homes need to be upgraded. We will do it over three decades, half a million each decade. It is going to take time, it may take 10 or 20 years for people to get the money they put in back, but there are huge immediate benefits instantly and it increases the value of their home also.
"No one is being forced to do it."
When asked how the retrofit plan will affect the spiralling cost of living, Minister Ryan said: "This is the way to tackle it directly.
"The Cabinet Committee will be meeting again [on Thursday], we can't stop the international gas market, but we are looking to introduce measures which can help the cost of living."
Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan suggested on Tuesday the idea that the rise in inflation could be connected to a rise in wages in order to help those that are struggling, while there have also been calls for a mini-budget.
But these have been rejected by Minister Ryan.
"It's not a complete budget. The main measures around social welfare will come in October. I don't think we need to do a budget right now. We need a small number of targeted initiatives," he said.
"We're constantly looking at innovating and developing new social policies. We were able to make sure that the last two Budgets were progressive. Those on the lower income groups were protected most, via our tax system, social welfare and other areas."
