Budget to introduce free Junior Cycle school books and cuts to college and childcare fees

Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman has secured a 25% reduction in childcare fees, but it is expected that parents will not see the reduction applied until around September of next year.

The budget is set to feature a 50% reduction in undergraduate fees to €1,500 for students whose families have an income of €100,000 or less.

Families on incomes of less than €100,000 will see third-level fees halved to €1,500 under budget measures aimed at parents of toddlers, teenagers, and young adults.

Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has secured a multimillion-euro budget package for students and their families which will ease the financial burden of going to college this year and over the coming years.

It allows for a 50% reduction in undergraduate fees to €1,500 for students whose families have an income of €100,000 or less.

All other families will see college fees cut again by €1,000 per undergraduate student under measures secured by Higher Education Minister Simon Harris.

Childcare fees

In a significant victory, Children's Minister Roderic O'Gorman has secured a 25% reduction in childcare fees, bringing the total cut to 50% after a similar move last year. However, given the cost of introducing such a measure, it is expected that parents will not see the reduction applied until around September of next year.

Parents will also welcome a double payment of child benefit before Christmas, but the core monthly rate of €140 will not increase.

Education

Education Minister Norma Foley has successfully secured the expansion of free school books to the Junior Cycle at secondary schools across the country.

This will see first, second, and third year pupils avail of the free book scheme. The measure will also include free classroom resources such as copy books, work books, and novels, with a price tag of over €55m. It means that as of September, 770,000 children in primary and post-primary schools will avail of free books and resources. It is also understood Ms Foley has secured additional funding for school transport.

On top of this, the previous 50% cut in public transport fees for young people will be extended to 25-year-olds.

Other third-level measures include an increase in college grants, which will see around 50,000 people receive a financial boost of more than €300 next year.

Some students will be able to apply for SUSI grants of almost €4,000 a year. Students from low-income families will be able to apply for grants of more than €7,000. Postgraduate students will be eligible for grants of up to €2,300.

The minimum wage will increase by €1.40, bringing the hourly rate up to €12.70, in line with what had been recommended by the Low Pay Commission. An increase in employers' PRSI, planned to kick in from January, will be delayed by at least six months, and possibly up to nine months, to allow businesses adjust to higher minimum wage rates.

Crime 

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Helen McEntee has secured a €12m increase in funding to tackle domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence and to establish a new agency next year.

Funding to provide for the first Garda Reserve recruitment campaign since 2017 will also be provided.

The trainee garda allowance will be increased to €305, up from the current €184 weekly payment, with a target of between 800 and 1,000 new garda trainees set for next year.

Increases to the training allowance will apply from budget day on. While the increased payments will begin on January 1, those in training between budget day and the new year will receive a backdated lump payment for this period in January.