Government wants to roll out supports immediately after next month's budget

Measures to ease the cost-of-living crisis are likely to be put into effect immediately after Budget 2023  

Independent TD for Roscommon-Galway Denis Naughten along with other members of the Regional Group, met both finance ministers today. File picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The Government is eager to roll out a significant number of cost-of-living supports immediately after the budget instead of waiting until the end of the year.

Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath and Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe have told a group of TDs that they will not be waiting until next year to introduce many supports, and want to roll them out over the autumn.

While the amount available to spend on one-off measures to help households has yet to be decided, it is expected to be at least €1bn and could be up to €2bn.

The Regional Group of independent TDs who held a meeting with both of the finance ministers on Wednesday, are calling for an increase in ICU beds and an expansion of school transport.

Speaking after the meeting, Roscommon-Galway TD Denis Naughten said: “They did make the point to us that what they are looking at is mechanisms that can deliver money in the current year that are targeted at people who are really suffering at the moment in terms of the cost of living, that wouldn’t have an ongoing commitment in relation to spend.”

Kildare South TD Cathal Berry said transport, especially the provision of school bus places, needs to be prioritised and called for the 20% reduction in fares to apply to all public transport regardless of the provider.

In terms of housing, the Regional Group is seeking innovative ways to ease this crisis by bringing vacant housing back into use, assisting older people to downsize where they wish to do so, revising council housing grants and supporting all families, regardless of income, to retrofit their homes.

Mr Naughten said the Croí Cónaithe fund, which provides a €30,000 grant to renovate derelict homes in villages and towns, should be extended to properties in rural areas: 

We also want to see changes to retrofitting and the capital grants for refurbishment of local authority homes.

“That’s something where you could see a block grant being given to local authorities this year that would have a real impact in terms of the cost of living for fuel poor homes around the country and make a real practical difference.”

Waterford TD Matt Shanahan said the group had also raised Irish Water and housing projects that have been held up over access to these services.

The Regional Group also wants an increase in the dental and medical expenses tax relief from 20% to 30%.

The TDs said that barriers also need to be removed within our taxation code and welfare system that stop people taking up employment or taking on additional work. In all cases our system must always make work pay.

“It is imperative that welfare rates are increased to the equivalent of cost-of-living increases over the last year, and all income thresholds for supplementary supports and housing must be reflective of the current economic situation,” Mr Naughten said.