Here’s everything parents need to know about Budget 2022.
Health
- Free GP care has been extended to children aged 6 and 7 with the intention to extend it up to the age of 12.
- Free contraception for women aged 17-25 from next August.
- €250 million investment in resolving waiting list crisis.
- Threshold for the drug payment scheme lowered to €100 max.
- €37 million expansion in mental health services.
- 19 additional critical care beds funded next year.
- €105 million for disability services
Childcare
- Children up to the age of 15 to be included in National Childcare Scheme.
- €69 million for new funding stream for 4,700 childcare providers from September 2022
- €716 million investment in the childcare sector
Minimum Wage
The minimum wage will be increased by 30c to €10.50 per hour.
Education
- Back-to-School Allowance increased by €10.
- Pupil to teacher ratio to be reduced to 24
- Funding for 980 additional teachers
- Funding for 1,165 SNAs
- €4 million to extend hot school meals scheme
- €200 contribution fee for post-Leaving Cert courses abolished
- Susi maintenance grant will be increased by €200
- The threshold for families applying for Susi expanded by €1,000
- Qualifying distance for Susi grant reduced to 30km
Parents Leave
- Parents Leave will be increased to seven weeks in July 2022.
- Parents of new babies can avail of €245 payment from Government.
Lone Parents
- Lone Parents allowance will increase by €5
Welfare
- Christmas bonus will be paid to welfare recipients
- Fuel allowance will increase by €5 tonight
- Main welfare payments, including jobseekers, will increase by €5
- PUP will remain in place until end of February 2022
Housing
- 3% Zoned Land Tax to encourage building homes on land
- The help-to-buy scheme will continue in 2022
- €174 million for over 4,000 affordable homes in 2022
- 9,000 new build social housing units will be delivered in 2022
- 14,000 additional Housing Assitance Payment tenancies
Cigarettes
- The cost of 20 packet of cigarettes will increase by 50c.
Tax
- Ceiling of USC second rate band will increase to €21,295.
- All of the personal tax credits will increase by €50
- Reduced VAT of 9% for hospitality will remain until August 2022
Legal Aid for Victims
- Funding for victims of domestic abuse, gender-based violence, and sexual abuse to extend legal aid
