'The cost of living is unbelievable': Limerick mum of five welcomes free schoolbooks

The Daly family say the weekly grocery shop has doubled, while electricity costs have trebled

Lisa Daly: 'Childcare and creches were never a problem for us as I was always a stay-at-home mother as I always worked from home.' Picture: Brian Arthur

The cost of education for five children is a big concern for Limerick mum Lisa Daly.

Ms Daly, from Ballyhahill, Co Limerick, close to the Kerry border, works from home at her own online gifts company, This is You, which she set up after the birth of her first child in 2011.

She and her husband Diarmuid have five children, ranging from almost 13 to almost four years old.

She was carefully listening to the delivery of Budget 2024 in the hope of securing relief from the cost-of-living increases over the past year.

“Childcare and creches were never a problem for us as I was always a stay-at-home mother as I always worked from home,” she said.

But school costs are something which she and Diarmuid have to think about, given they have five children. The oldest is now in first year of secondary school while they have three children in primary school and one child in pre-school.

She was relieved to hear of the rollout of the free books scheme for Junior Cycle at second level.

I definitely found it of help this year now for primary school. It really helped because we have three children we didn’t have to buy school books for.” 

She also believes a rollout of the hot meals scheme across the entire primary school sector would be a big help for families and was glad to hear 900 extra schools will now benefit from the scheme.

“Our school is now starting to take it on, which is great.” 

The Limerick mum welcomed the rollout of a double child benefit payment between now and Christmas.

The couple has noted an increase in utilities and grocery shopping bills.

“The cost of living is just unbelievable. The weekly grocery shop has probably doubled and the electricity costs have trebled.” 

She points out the family’s electricity bill has climbed from about €300 to over €900 now.

Ms Daly was delighted to hear there would be three €150 energy credits made between now and April to every household, as well as the increase in employee PAYE and the increase in income tax credits. 

The reduction in the Universal Social Charge by 0.5% was another positive for the family, as well as the introduction of a one-year mortgage relief scheme for homeowners with outstanding repayments of between €80,000 and €500,000.

As a business owner herself, she also welcomed the increase in the threshold for Vat registration for individuals supplying goods to €80,000 — up by €5,000.