Independent Alliance submits budget requests to Fine Gael

The Independent Alliance has given Fine Gael a deadline of tomorrow to deliver on its budget demands.

The group of six put forward a number of requests to Finance Minister Michael Noonan and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe last week and will be expecting them to be delivered upon.

Among the areas they are prioritising are further funding for the farm assist programme which helps small farmers; the extension of the rural social scheme that currently employs 2,600 people; measures around rural town and village renewal as well as extra supports for older people.

While many departments are still in the process of hammering out their allocations for 2017, it is understood that OPW Minister and Independent Alliance member Sean Canney will be reallocated funds to hire more staff. These new jobs will mainly be focused on working on flood prevention and the Government’s Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management studies.

Junior health minister Finian McGrath has yet to finalise measures and funding for a package for disabilities as the overall Health budget still has to be agreed upon.

Health is among a number of departments which Mr Donohoe still has to sign off on allocations for, meaning negotiations may come down to the wire ahead of next Tuesday’s budget.

An Independent Alliance source said the group is determined that they will have their “stamp on the new government”: “We want people to see that we are delivering and we are influencing policy decisions.”

The Independent Alliance will meet with Mr Noonan and Mr Donohoe tomorrow before a special cabinet meeting which has also been called to discuss the Budget.

Mr Donohoe has suggested that the final round of negotiations in the coming days will be the most difficult.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil is continuing to push for a €5 pension rise to be included in the budget. It is now likely that this will be passed as the Independent Alliance also want to see increases in the pension.

However, earlier this week Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar said that any increase in the State pension would come at the expense of other areas such as allowances to people with disabilities and lone parents.

Fianna Fáil also want an extension of the first time buyers’ grant to include second hand homes and a €130m fund to pay for water services if charges do not return next year.

The opposition party is understood to have discussed the proposals during private meetings of its frontbench and wider parliamentary party yesterday.

Senior party figures said while Fine Gael has yet to commit to a €5 pension rise, Fianna Fáil is adamant it must be included, as well as extending a previously flagged €15,000 to the first time buyers’ scheme to include second hand homes.

It is also seeking further supports for SMEs to stave off the risk posed by Brexit.