Merry budget day, everybody!

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We’ve all hung our budget stockings by our bed in the hope that Santa Donohue leaves us a little something lovely.

For me, it won’t be a big impact. Don’t have kids so childcare or school/university costs don’t impact me directly. Happy to see money going towards supporting families, though, making it easier for people to stay in employment, and hopefully give children more of an opportunity for some equality in school. My sister has two year old twins and a three year old, so crèche fees will hopefully reduce by about €510/month for her.

On a personal level, I’m hoping to benefit a little from income tax band changes, but lucky enough to have decent salaries so it won’t be much. Still think USC should be scrapped but that’s never going to happen. Would much prefer to see a budget used to help with cost of living for everyone.

Anyone else think it’s all feeling a bit 2007 all over again?

Kinda. Raging that we struggled through full time creche and now - now - the fees are going to come down! What are the chances?

😬

I know that a big change like this will mean a lot of people are at the wrong side of the effective date, but I hear you. I paid €27k stamp duty as a first time buyer in 2007, and it was pretty much abolished straight away. I’m still sour about that one.

Are your children in primary school? Hopefully the removal of schoolbook fees will benefit you.

Though I do think it’ll just mean more people are under even more pressure as children hit secondary as they suddenly have this big expense they’ve never previously had to budget for.

Yeah, I don't begrudge it to the people now, but we could have really done with it at times, but sure lookit, that's behind us at this stage. Yeah, we're primary school so the schoolbooks thing will help a lot - finding that plus uniforms etc took some planning this year. I think I was getting bits from June on.

We're not significantly better off according to the calculator on the journal but we're definitely not worse off so fingers crossed some people who are properly struggling will feel some benefit.

That's a lot of bonuses and one off payments for those that don't work.

Anything for the disabled children........ No didn't think so, as usual they're on the bottom of the pile.

Anything for middle earners who work just above the minimum wage but have to put in many hours to pay the bills....

I am happy enough. For once we actual will benefit from the budget

We will be 1,600 better off us

plus 100e for the school books and 70e for afterschool

Plus 140e extra child benefit in November will pay for santy

NCS 50c p/h brought our fees down by 50e this month, so the 1.40e p/h will bring fees down from 550 to 420

Paintbynumber Do you mean the extra €12 per week?

I get DCA for my son so I think I get €500 which would be amazing if it's the case. Also I think there is double childrens allowance in November. I'm hoping it won't just be people on social welfare who get these. Also the free school books is a great thing for us. It's well and good reducing childcare costs but there is zero childcare to be found around here that's the big issue. It seems a decent enough budget overall.

According to the Irish Times budget calculator, I'll be better off by €831 a year or €16 per week. And of course, there will be electricity credits totalling €600. But home heating oil is currently working out at €1,230 for a full tank (1,000 litres) and obviously we'll be seeing much higher electricity, petrol and food prices. So I won't be doing anything crazy with the extra income.

I feel pissed off.
Struggled paying crèche and childminder fees for years. And they were often sick and paying for the doctor.
When the free GP for under sixes came in we got ONE free GP appt.
And now the youngest is in 6th class and we won't even get free books but will be shelling out for an iPad.

I wish they would spread the joy to all
parents. Now after paying all that for our own kids we have to subsidise everyone else.

Yeah I am bitter and having a good moan about it today.

And to add to my moans I have to pay for HRT every month and no free contraception ever for me.

If I thing of anything else to moan about I'll be back.

I believe we do get the 500 in November if we have DCA as that means we get the carers support grant. We'll also get the normal week extra DCA in December.

The double child benefit in November is for everyone.

VAT has been reduced to zero on HRT

It will come down is price but nowhere near as low as the rest of Europe

Wow a a UK dweller this all seems very un familiar - I'd love a post on how ireland is different from the UK. So you have to pay for school books and also GP appointments? How does it work?

Is the No free contraception to do with religion or are all prescriptions like this?

@worriedniece - we pay for all prescriptions and all GP visits.

I agree with you 100% @bringarosie - I’m in the same boat - HRT included 🙄

What's the service like? How much per appointment or does it depend on the surgery. Assuming a bit like dentistry over here

GPS are around €50-65 per visit, depending on the surgery. I’ve found the service from mine very good - I can usually get same day or next day appointments if I call in the morning. There is an overall shortage of GPs though so it can be hard to get a practice to accept you as a patient in some areas.

I’ve also found them very willing to refer on if needed - my sister lives in the UK and while she loves the NHS has found it extremely difficult to get referred on for further investigations for a condition she has.

My GP is €50. I have private health insurance through work so can claim 75% back through the app and it’s normally in my bank account in about three days. Of the remaining €12.50, I can claim a further 20% back as part of my tax return so I effectively pay €10 out of pocket.

We pay for prescriptions out of pocket, again being able to claim 20% back. Prescriptions are capped at €100/month.

Dentist, eyecare/glasses etc are all covered 75% by my insurance, then 20% of balance claimed back. Things like eye tests and dental check-ups are covered under PRSI (same as National Insurance in UK).

People with medical cards (a means-tested system) don’t pay for GP visits, dental visits, A&E visits, hospital stays, and pay a small amount for prescriptions (not sure how much- think it’s maybe €1/€2?).

Just to give an example of a heath issue I had a while ago-

Went to GP with an issue and she immediately sent me to A&E (GP was €50 with €40 claimed back, A&E was free). I was admitted and stayed in hospital for 10 days. My insurance covered everything except €125 excess.
(incidentally, I received a bill from the hospital showing what my insurance covered- the bill was €6k, I paid €125).

On discharge, I was referred to a private consultant and got an appointment within 3 weeks. I saw him three times at a cost of €300 per visit (so €60 x 3 once I claimed on my insurance and tax return). Within three weeks, I went for surgery and stayed in hospital in a private room for 5 days. Surgery was arranged for a day that suited me, I had a choice. I’m now on lifelong medication which costs €14/month. If I need any additional appointments stemming from my health issue, I can contact the consultant’s office directly and make an appointment.
I have a blood test and prescription review with my GP every 6 months. That’s €20 (before insurance and tax claim).

My health insurance also gives unlimited free video consultations so if I have an issue that’s straightforward, I’ll use that instead of an in-person visit. Handy when you have something obvious like tonsillitis and don’t want to have to leave your house. It also covers things like CBT, weight management programmes, midwife support, dietician visits, smoking cessation etc- all free of charge. There’s also a nurse line where you can ring and speak to a nurse, online physiotherapy sessions, and special offers for annual health-checks.

My insurer also has a range of private clinics so I could go there instead of my GP or hospital, if needed. I recently visited and ended up needing an MRI and some other tests. Total I paid on the day was €25, and I can claim 20% back in tax. I was in and out within 2 hours, and saw two doctors in that time.

@worriedniece nothing to do with religion at all we pay for all prescriptions and gp visits. However just from being on Mumsnet and some of the things I read on here about GP surgeries I'd rather our GP system anyday. I don't pay for my seven year old as he has autism so classed as needing significant extra care so he gets his gp etc free and I don't pay for the three year old as all under 6s are free. My parents are over 70 so theirs is also free and also non means tested. Last week the youngest had high temps and was very unwell nothing out of the ordinary however it went on longer than usual so i
got a bit worried on Thursday morning I rang my gp surgery and had a callback from my gp who said he'd like to see her and a gp appointment that afternoon.
Also we buy everything for back to school every single piece of stationary etc is provided by parents however on the flip side we have very few private schools (no private primary school and only one secondary school which isn't particularly sought after where I live) so for the most part people are very happy with the education being provided and again just anecdotally from mumsnet a lot less angst about it

@SparkyBlue thank you that's really interesting. What about those who can't afford the school stationary? Also, do you have means tested benefits. Seems like the school system is better than here (speaking as a primary school teacher).

Have a GP in the family but we are English. Do you have any GPs moving over from England?

There is a back to school allowance available (it's means tested) so lots of people get this but in general there is just a whole different mindset. It's hard to explain it it's never been free so no expectations of it. Yes benefits are means tested but seems to be less stigma attached to them over here