With talks of an election looming, the Government’s immediate focus will be on announcing its final budget on Tuesday.
This year the Government has a €8.3bn package to work with, which will be split between €6.9bn of public spending and €1.4bn on tax cuts and changes.
: The health budget will see an increase of almost €3bn with a record total spend of €25.76bn.
The increases include €9.8bn for acute hospitals, €280m for the National Ambulance Service, €179m for palliative care, €1.48bn for mental health and €1.73bn for older persons services.
: The Government leaders were meeting late into Monday evening before finally signing off on Budget 2025.Â
We have an early indication of what we’re going to hear when Finance Minister Jack Chambers takes to his feet in the DáÃl at 1pm.
- Core welfare rates are to rise by €12 across the board while there will be two double child benefit payments before Christmas.
- Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman also secured an additional payment for new parents.
- The payment, being dubbed the ‘baby boost’, will mean a special one-off payment of €280 paid out following the birth of a newborn on top of the existing €140, totalling €420.Â
- The new payment will kick in from January 1 on a permanent basis.
- Carers are also to receive a double payment – while the Carer’s Benefit will be extended to self-employed workers.
- USC will drop from 4% to 3%.
Some early news from Leinster House: College fees for students are set for a €1,000 cut, the Irish Examiner understands. Government sources have indicated that coalition leaders signed off on the change late last night.
The change means that fees will be cut from €3,000 to €2,000 for the 2024-2025 academic year.
The fees for apprentices will also be cut by €1,000 and post-graduate support payments will climb from €4,000 to €5,000.
Good morning, and welcome to the Irish Examiner’s Budget 2025 live blog.
Stay with us for news and analysis across the day as the Government delivers the final budget before the next general election.
