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Wed 12 Dec 2007Welfare increases in Budget to match inflationMinister for Finance Brian Cowen indicated last night that he will increase all welfare payments by at least as much as inflation in today's Budget. Mr Cowen gave a commitment to protect the standard of living of all social welfare recipients, with pensioners in particular expected to benefit.He also said he intended "to borrow modestly to invest ambitiously", indicating that there will be no slowdown in investment in the National Development Plan.