Waiting to deliver Budget 2023 at the end of September will still be too late for some families.
That's according to Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik, who says the Government should introduce some targeted measures now.
She was speaking as the Government will give the first official glimpse at the upcoming cost of living budget later with the publication of the Summer Economic Statement.
It sets out how much money it thinks it will have to spend for next year, and gives a major update on the state of the economy.
Deputy Bacik told Breakfast Briefing talk of an earlier budget date is still not enough for struggling families.
"We have been calling for Government to move more swiftly and to introduce a series of targeted measures now, in anticipation of the real squeeze that many households and families will be feeling at the back to school time.
"We think really the end of September - the date the Government is suggesting they may move on the budget... that that's simply not soon enough.
"In particular we're calling for Government to introduce that social welfare bonus, that double-payment, now in order to ensure that families will have that little extra cushion at back to school time.
"We're also calling for a €1 per hour increase on the minimum wage rate from €10.50 to €11.50 per hour."
Deputy Bacik says a free school books scheme, proposed by her party, would also "take a huge pressure off families coming up to back to school".
Put to her that if the Government spend the money now there will be less room to manoeuvre in the autumn, she says: "I think we all appreciate that there will be another real squeeze likely in the autumn.
"I think we do all appreciate of course Government will need more space, more resources for the autumn.
"But there's a real squeeze now too, and there is that back to school point which families need to plan for".
And Deputy Bacik says their plans are "targeted measures" which "would not significantly change Government's ability to move with a bigger package of measures at the end of September".
