Fianna Fáil has committed itself to increasing pensions to €200 in the lifetime of the next government.
Speaking at a press briefing earlier today, Mr Dermot Ahern, Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, said that over the course of the present administration pensions had increased by 56 per cent, representing an increase of more than 30 per cent over inflation, and 13 per cent over the average wage increase.
Mr Ahern said his party had entered the election campaign with the firm commitment to protect the National Pension Fund - not borrow from it as the Labour Party has said it would do - as well as a commitment to invest in the services for the elderly.
"Having met and exceeded our ambitious target of £100, we have set a new benchmark level of €200," Mr Ahern said.
"But is not enough to increase pensions today - you have to make sure that you can afford to keep paying them."
Earlier this week, the Progressive Democrats and the Labour Party, and Fine Gael all promised to raise pensions to €200 per week.