Budget 2025 highlights

Minister for Finance Jack Chambers today announced Budget 2025 at 1pm today.

Some of the highlights announced so far are as follows:

The USC charge will be reduced from 4% to 3% in this years budget and the threshold for this new rate will be increased to €27, 382.

As of January 1 2025, the minimum wage will be increased by €0.80 per hour to €13.50.

The home carer tax credit is up €150, while the single person child carer credit up by €150, the dependent relative tax credit will increase by €60, while the blind tax credit will increase by €200.

Rent tax credit will increase by €250 to €1000 and €2000 for jointly assessed couples.

The Help to Buy Scheme is being extended to the end of 2029.

Minister Chambers announced that he is extending the tax relief for pre-letting for landlords which will continue until the end of 2027.

Mortgage relief interest will also be extended for another year.

The excise duty on a packet of 20 cigarettes is being increased by €1.

The price of cigarettes is set to rise to €18.05 with a domestic tax on e-cigarettes of 50c per ml which will commence in the middle of next year.

In agriculture, the minister announced that the General Stock Relief, Stock Relief for Young Trained Farmers and Stock Relief for registered farm partnerships are being extended to the end of 2027.

A Social Protection package worth almost €2bn was announced, included in this was a €12 increase for those receiving weekly Social Protection payment.

The Carer's Allowance Means Test disregard was increased to €625 for a single person and €1,250 for a couple.

The Domiciliary Care Allowance is being increased by €20 while the the Carer's Support Grant is being increased by €150 to €2,000 .

The weekly rates of the Increased for a Qualified Child are going up by €4 for under 12s and by €8 for over 12s.

A newborn grant of an additional double child benefit payment is being introduced - meaning a €420 to families for each newborn child.

Maternity, paternity, adoptive and parents' payments are being increased by €15.

There will be two double payments for Child benefit in November and December. There will be a double payment for Foster Care Allowance.

A €400 payment will be made to those receiving the Working Family Payment and another payment of €100 per child to those receiving Qualified Child Increase Payments.

A €336m increase will come for disability services, while Tusla's budget will rise to €1.2bn.

In education Free Schoolbooks will be extended to transition year and senior cycle students in recognised post primary schools.

There will be provision for 768 additional special education teachers and 1600 SNA's.

There will also be an increase in funding for the School Transport Scheme.

In the healthcare sector there will be additional funding of €2.7bn over tow years.

There is also set to be an increase in people working in the service, which does not include disability services.

495 beds will be introduced across hospitals and community services and 600, 000 more home support hours were announced. There will also be increased access to IVF and Hormone Replacement Therapy which will be free of charge.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is being allocated €7.8 billion.

€2 billion for this will be to build 10, 000 new social homes, €680 million will be allocated to affordable housing schemes and €186 million in funding will support regeneration of towns in urban areas.

There will also be €100 million for grants to make adaptations to older people's homes and homes of those with a disability.

There will be €472 million provided to the Department of Rural and Community Development.

Over €3 billion has been allocated to tackle climate issues between 2026 and 2030. €716 million is being provided for farmers in agri-environmental schemes such as ACRES.

Free public transport will be extended to children ages 5-8. There will also be further investment in cycling and walking infrastructure.

An extra €7 million was announced for organisations providing support for victims of gender-based violence. There will be recruitment of up to 360 more staff in the Irish Prison Service and investment in prisoner care and rehabilitation. There will be further recruitment of 1000 gardai and up to 150 garda civilian staff. There will also be an expansion of 400 staff in the international protection system.

There will be €380 million allocated to Arts and Culture in 2025. There is €107 million being allocated to the Gaeltacht, €231 million in sports funding, €328 million in funding to media and €226 million allocated to tourism.

€2.1 billion is being allocated to provide support accommodation to those fleeing Russia's illegal war in Ukraine and to those seeking International Protection.

€13 million will be provided to help integrate arrivals from Ukraine into local communities. There will also be an extra €25 million to the Community Recognition Fund.