The Budget

[Taytocrisps]

Given that the government have billions floating around, courtesy of the Apple judgement, what are you hoping for/expecting out of the budget?

Based on what has been leaked, it's likely that I'll be paying a bit less tax. And I may benefit text year in terms of DD's college fees.

I would like to see the government embark on an extensive social housing construction programme, to alleviate the misery of homelessness for so many adults and children.

As someone recently repatriated and seeing the poor state of things in the U.K., I would like the government to invest in long term infra improvements to future proof the state, rather than handing out too much now when times are “good”. Public transport for example! And investment in green energy.
Alas, with politics involved that’s unlikely.

Selfishly I’d love to see the 23% VAT reduced, as it’s crippling our ability to renovate our home.

As there's an election looming I just hope it's not a "Giveaway Budget" and housing and infrastructure will be to the forefront.

Could someone please be responsible for reining in wasteful spending on bike shelters and security shelters and everything else that goes way over budget, like the Children's Hospital etc that the poor taxpayer has to cough up for.

A bit of accountability please.

I would love to see the means test for carers allowance abolished but I don't think that will happen!

I think we already know the main things that will come from today. I actually only heard today that they are going to make HRT free which I think is fantastic!

It’s not a bad budget.
Really pleased to see free HRT included,
Women’s health was ignored in this country for far too long.

Well someone on RTE just called it a 'Bertie Budget' so it certainly sounds like it's gonna be a vote grab Budget.

Like the sound of HRT being free. Agree with a PP the means test for carers needs to go. Wish they'd just abolish the USC not reduce it (it was only meant to be temporary anyway.

Heard they are making school books free for all children. Wondering does that include secondary students. I agree that the cost of books is extortionate. Can't help thinking of my local shop that is 80% school books and supplies and 20% a newsagent. They'd be crippled

I believe secondary school books were free up to JC from this year, I think the budget rumour is that this is being extended to LC (My youngest is in 6th year so will miss yet another budget "gift").

Given there will be an election soon it'll definitely be a "Bertie Budget" (great phrase!).

Id love to see the carers allowance means test abolished but also I'd be worried that it would make it harder to actually get carers. I'm glad to see the means amount increased to 1250 (I think) for a couple which is 65k a year before means testing.

Well that was definitely a 'vote for me' budget alright. Seem to be targeting carers a bit there..... hmm I wonder why?!!! Something to do with the fact they have continually shafted us perhaps

That's gas I text my mum earlier and said I'll take what they give me but I'm still not voting for them, they're just trying to buy our favour like Bertie 20 years ago!! It's definitely an election budget but still it's good to feel some money in the back pocket. As another poster has said, I'd really like to see some accountability - between the bike shed and security hut and now the modular homes for ukrainians costing over €400k it's like the good old celtic tiger days are back only nobody told Joe Public 🙄 (we were living in the UK during the boom and so missed out on all that, no SSIAs for us!) I'm looking forward to reading the full breakdown this evening and working out if I'll be better off from it (hoping we will)

I am €650 a year better off. So €12.50 a week.

I am not looking at it as a Bertie budget.

I'm delighted that carers can finally apply for Fuel Allowance.

I'm still waiting on me free cheese from when the tiger ran away!!!

Shure Bertie never gave nowt to those just above the minimum back then either. He was all about throwing money at certain groups, tax breaks at others and forget the squeezed middle. They represented the least votes to him

@splatmouse Thanks for posting this, I missed this. Do you know what the threshold is for this ? I've googled but a lot of sites are saying different amounts

I feel like it has been worthwhile for me for a change. Over the whole year I will gain about 2000 euro. Dh will gain 1000.

I found this article in the Indo good for setting out dates etc... hope it'll help @Wendysfriend
https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/budget-2025-key-dates-when-will-double-child-benefit-land-when-will-fuel-and-cigarettes-rise/a1055197813.html

What I don't understand is why the vaping tax won't come into force until "mid-2025" 🤔

Thank you for that, that's really helpful.

There's a lot that doesn't come into affect until July, it was always June for disability/carers payments which is really pathetic considering how low the payments are anyway, sure the year is nearly over.

Still just over the threshold for fuel allowance, ah well I guess I should be greatful for the carers payment.

Thanks again for that link😁

Both dh and I get the €1000 small gift at Christmas - so that's an extra €500 each as well as the drop in USC and widened tax bands. DD started a graduate post last month so she will do well - less tax and USC for her too.

Including the double payments our household is over 2200 a year better off. (Receive DCA) Am actually shocked.

Just watching Ireland AM and it seems that a lot aren't happy with the budget and those that are is mainly because of the bonuses which are short term and don't help us long term, which thinking about it makes sense.

Last year the money they gave in one off payments and bonuses was much higher, this year they've more money but gave less short term and long term.

We still have the big bills next year, food prices still rising while packaging is shrinking, energy bills are still going to be ridiculously high, the government should have stepped in and sorted out them not passing on lower prices , these energy increase were only meant to be temporary, same with oil, why aren't or can't the government step in here too ? The oil companies are not buying their oil at high prices anymore so why are they charging us ridiculous amounts still.

I ran the exact same shopping through Tesco last night as last week just to see and it was 46.00 dearer !! That's just mental !!

I was thinking I should be thanking my lucky stars with an extra 12.00 a week but in all honesty, wtf will that get you, couldn't even treat myself to fish and chips as that's more than 12 euro, I guess I could just get a fish and eat that when everyone's out 😜

What I don't get is that the energy firms, whose prices have gone up exponentially are making huge profits.

Instead of the government questioning this they are giving some money via credits to the Irish people using taxpayers money.

It's just under €7 extra a week for me, or 30 monthly. Pathetic. I'm bang smack in the middle bracket range, don't earn enough to benefit from the increased tax thresholds but single parent household being absolutely crippled.
Vote buying giveaway instead of targeted supports.

I dont know for sure. I would presume that the threshold will be the same as it currently is for non-carers. For people under 70 that is:

To qualify for Fuel Allowance, your means must be less than the maximum State Pension (Contributory), including any increases you could get for dependents or living alone, plus an additional €200. This is called the ‘assessable income limit’.

I got that info from:
https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social-welfare/extra-social-welfare-benefits/fuel-allowance/#e81345

It seems to be €477.30 for a single person and €662 for a couple. (€277.30 being the pension + the €200).

It won't come into effect until January 2025. If you have a mywelfare account you should be able to apply through there.