Budget 2023 – Key Points

Budget 2023 – Key Points
πŸ’Ά π’πŽπ‚πˆπ€π‹ 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐅𝐀𝐑𝐄
πŸ”Ήweekly social welfare rates will be increased by €12 for working age recipients.
πŸ”Ή there will also be a €12 increase in weekly payments for pensioners.
πŸ”Ή the Working Family Payment threshold will increase by €40.
πŸ”Ή there will be a €2 increase in the weekly rate for a Qualified Child.
πŸ”Ή there will be an increase in eligibility for Fuel Allowance.
πŸ”Ή a €500 lump sum for families availing of the working family payment, a €500 lump sum for carers, a €500 cost of disability payment and a €20 increase in the domiciliary care allowance for sick children.
πŸš‘ 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇
πŸ”Ή all inpatient hospital charges will be abolished.
πŸ”Ή GP visit cards will be provided to those on or below the median income (340,000 additional people).
πŸ”Ή there will be a €2 increase in the weekly rate for a Qualified Child.
πŸ”Ή the Drug Payment Scheme threshold will remain at the lower rate of €80 in 2023.
πŸ”Ή funding will be provided to provide access to IVF treatments.
πŸ”Ή free contraception will be available for all women aged between 16 and 30.
πŸ“šβœοΈ π‚π‡πˆπ‹πƒπ‚π€π‘π„ 𝐀𝐍𝐃 π„πƒπ”π‚π€π“πˆπŽπ
πŸ”Ή there will be a Free School Book Scheme for primary school pupils from autumn 2023.
πŸ”Ή over 660 additional mainstream teachers, over 1,190 SNAs and 680 special education teachers will be provided.
πŸ”Ή the National Childcare Scheme hourly subsidy is to increase from 50c to €1.40.
πŸ”Ή there will be a €500 increase in post-graduate contribution grant for eligible families.
πŸ”Ή over 4,800 additional places on craft and consortia-led apprenticeships and 4,000 places on craft apprenticeship programmes will be supported.
🏑 π‡πŽπ”π’πˆππ†
πŸ”Ή funding will be made available to support 8,800 new HAP tenancies and 800 RAS tenancies.
πŸ”Ή 9,100 new-build social homes, 5,500 new affordable homes for sale and rent and 6,500 new social homes will be supported.
πŸ”Ή funding to deliver 37,000 home energy upgrades.
🟒 𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄
πŸ”Ή Additional €67 million for Defence – €32 million in current expenditure and €35 million in capital expenditure.
πŸ”Ή €35 million in additional capital expenditure, which will allow for significant capital investment on defensive equipment programmes such as the development of Primary Radar capabilities and Force Protection needs, and for upgrading and modernising the Defence Forces built infrastructure in various military installations throughout the country.
πŸ”Ήβ‚¬22 million in additional current expenditure to meet the increased operational and standing costs of the Defence Forces and to facilitate the required level of progress and transformation to include a significant enhancement of strategic HR capabilities, an anticipated intake of additional PDF recruits in 2023 and an increase in related training and consultancy costs.
πŸ”Ή €10m – Provision for Defence Forces’ Pensions Benefits – Allows mainly for the additional payments arising due to the cohort of members of the Defence Forces expected to retire in 2023.
🚍 πŽπ“π‡π„π‘ πŒπ„π€π’π”π‘π„π’
πŸ”Ή 1,000 new Garda and 430 Garda staff will be provided.
πŸ”Ή the 20% fare reduction on public transport will be extended to the end of 2023.
πŸ”Ή a €1.2 billion package of supports for businesses hit by soaring energy costs.