Describing Budget 2023 as a “cost of living Budget”, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe revealed the full details of this year’s package during a speech in the Dáil on Tuesday afternoon.
Below are some of the highlights including once-off measures aimed at tackling the energy crisis and some longer-term measures…
Fuel and home heating
Every household will get €600 in electricity credits in three payments of €200. The first before Christmas and two in 2023.
Excise reductions on petrol, marked gas oil and diesel, and the VAT rate on electricity and gas have been extended until the end of February.
A lump sum of €400 will be paid to Fuel Allowance recipients before Christmas.
Social Welfare boost
A double week Cost of Living Support payment to social welfare recipients in October. The Christmas bonus will also be paid in early December.
€500 for those on Working Family Payment in November.
Double Child Benefit payment in November.
€500 for those on Carers Support grant in November.
€200 for those on Living Alone Allowance before Christmas.
€500 for those on disability allowances, invalidity pension and the blind pension.
Health and wellbeing
Hospital inpatient charges removed for all public patients.
Free GP care extended to more than 400,000, with 6 and 7-year-olds to gain access this year.
Free contraception extended to women aged up to 30.
The commencement of a State-funded IVF scheme.
More than €300 million for waiting lists.
An increase of €58 million for mental health funding.
Education and Childcare
Free school books for all primary school pupils from September next year.
370 additional teaching posts funded. 685 new Special Needs teachers and 1,194 Special Needs Assistants hired.
€1,000 off the student contribution this year. The student contribution fee will come down by €500 for families earning €65,000-€100,000 per year. SUSI grants increased by between 10-14 per cent.
A once-off double monthly payment of SUSI maintenance grants.
A €1,000 increase for postgraduate student grant.
Public transport reduction fare until end of 2023.
€100 million to schools, to help with energy costs with school transport providers.
The hourly subsidy paid per child to childcare providers under the National Childcare Scheme will increase from €0.50 to €1.40.
Housing
A Vacant Homes Tax has been introduced. It will be three times the property’s Local Property Tax, on top of the existing rate. It will apply to properties vacant for more than 30 days in a 12-month period.
Help To Buy scheme extended to the end of 2024.
A tax credit of €500 for 400,000 renters from next year which can be claimed this year too. Married couples and civil partners to get double value of the rent tax credit.
Other measures
Zero per cent VAT on newspaper sales as well as some period products and nicotine replacement products.
Cigarettes up by 50c.
Carbon Tax increase by €7.50 per tonne to €48.50 from October 12th.
The 9 per cent VAT rate for hospitality will end at the end of February 2023.
1,000 new Gardaí will be hired and there will be 400 new members of the Defence Forces.
