Leo Varadkar has denied a new plan to increase welfare rates is part of a plan to take over Fine Gael.

The social protection minister insists he's fully focussed on his role - as he announces plans to increase welfare rates every year.

His plans to link welfare payments to the cost of living have been given a cautious welcome by groups representing the disadvantaged.

But they're warning that the government can't use the plan as an excuse not to increase payments across the board.

Minister Varadkar says he's open to debate about whether payments should be tied to the cost of living, or to average earnings - which tend to rise at a higher rate.

The plan was not included in the programme for government published just two months ago.

Our political correspondent Gavan Reilly reports: