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A DOUBLE CHILD benefit payment, a tax on e-cigarettes and cost-of-living measures will all form part of this year’s budget, ministers have confirmed today.
However, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys indicated this afternoon that there will be no increases to the jobseeker’s allowance in the upcoming budget.
Speaking to reporters, Humphreys said she wants vulnerable groups to be a priority, adding that a €20 increase for all social welfare payments would cost €1.5 billion.
Meanwhile, at Government Buildings today, Finance Minister Jack Chambers said a new tax on e-cigarettes is “likely” in October’s budget.
Former Minister for Finance Michael McGrath announced in last year’s budget that it was the government’s intention to introduce a new “domestic tax” on e-cigarettes.
“It’s our intention to make progress on that in this year’s budget,” said Chambers.
“There’s work ongoing between Revenue and the Department of Finance on how we can operationalise that,” he added, stating that his department is considering a range of options.
Chambers said he wants to “follow through” on McGrath’s commitment, stating that there are technicalities being worked through on how to make that possible for 2025.
Speaking about calls for the pension to rise by €20 this year, Chambers said there will be a “very substantial package of support for pensioners, and indeed, for those least well off in our society”.
“Because of our sound management to the economy, we can provide for pensioners and other groups who depend on our social protection system,” he said.
Humphreys said the pensioners, carers and people with disabilities should be prioritised in Budget 2025.
She said the double child benefit payment paid out at Christmas time was “extremely popular” and said there are not many people that do not need that payment as costs such as groceries were still high.
As Ireland was still at full employment, the minister said she does not believe there is a policy rationale for increasing welfare payments to those who are long-term unemployed.
She highlighted a recent change to jobseekers’ benefit that will see people who are let go from their jobs receive a higher rate of payment linked to their pay over a three-month period.
“For those that are long term unemployed, there are many, many opportunities for them to take offers of work,” she said.
“I think it’s important that we support people in the budget that can’t work. So some people with disabilities can’t work. Some of them can, and we’re trying to help them in that area too, but generally speaking, people with severe disabilities cannot work.
“People who are caring, they’re providing a service, and they’re helping somebody to remain in their home, and they often can’t work.
“Pensioners, they have they have done their piece. They have worked hard over their lives, and now they’re retiring.”
Asked about lump sum payments and the cost-of-living, Humphreys said families and others are still under pressure:
“I think it’s important to remember that lump sum payments were introduced at a time when inflation was running at a very high rate and thankfully, inflation has dropped considerably since then.
“However, the cost of going into the supermarket is still expensive, groceries are expensive – there’s no doubt about that – and lump sums have proved very, very popular.
She recalled meeting a pensioner in Connolly Station on Monday morning, who told the minister “the lump sum was great” and told the minister to “keep it going”.
In terms of this year’s tax package, the finance minister said today that a core area of focus will be on supporting reductions in income tax and supporting over 2 million people in Ireland’s economy who are working and paying the higher level of income tax.
“We really want to give them a break in 2025,” said Chambers.
The minister said he “fully understands” that for many families, the cost-of-living is still a central issue, even with inflation coming in at 1.5% in June and July.
“Prices haven’t fallen from many families, whether it’s in groceries, in energy and across different price dynamics of our economy,” he said, stating that cost-of-living measures “will be a central consideration on how we frame budget 2025″.
A VAT reduction on energy was introduced last year, and the continuance of that is under consideration, particularly during the winter period, said the minister. He said it was important to continue to support families during that time.
In terms of inheritance tax, Chambers said it is a “significant imposition” to many families, particularly as property prices have risen, confirming that it is one aspect of the budget receiving consideration.
Something the finance minister was clear he was ruling out is the idea of introducing car-parking levies for employees.
The Department of Finance said that Government should not introduce car-parking levies in its recent tax strategy papers, citing equity and equality considerations, including that the fees may be perceived as an unfair tax on certain workers, including those without access to remote work.
“That’s not something I believe should be commenced in the next 12 months,” said Chambers.
He said many people are still dependent on their car and are without alternatives.
“I think we need to make sure we drive progress on capital investment and transport infrastructure before we impose additional taxation or levies on people who are driving a vehicle,” he added.
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Saying Diageo is responsible for the Irish drinking problem, is the same as suggesting that Brennan’s Bread (et al) is responsible for the Obesity Problem.
It’s down to personal decisions and responsibility.
Don’t be talking common sense here , it’s frowned upon .
@BroadSideSkid who is saying Diageo is responsible for Since when is bread an addictive drug that has been shown to destroy lives and livelihoods ? Alcohol is certainly a drug that comes with a huge human cost, even more than that of tobacco. Comparing how we regulate bread to how we regulate alcohol simply does not compute, they’re two entirely different things.
But have you seen what’s in the “bread”?
“Sense” like that would make me think that the odd cigarette might be a good idea.
The public needs to be protected from those who sell poison.
I agree with you, why not legalising cocaine, marijuana, speed and ecstasy? If you do it responsibly and if you don’t have an addictive nature you can get around it. Why blaming the Colombian drug lord for our drug problems?
I’ll drink to that…
And about time too! How stupid was it to think that it was good idea for someone representing Diego be involved with a group trying and help curb drinking alcohol in Ireland!
Same as asking a drug baron to help get drugs off our streets!
I just wish those guinness pujes would wtop using munsters win over the all blacks and other famous sporting stuff to promote their poison. There needs to be a ban on that shit, we need to stop associating alcohol with stuff. Its like eastenders, next time you watch, look out for the alcohol references/presences on screen…its literally non stop, the entire british psyche is under attack, same as our own.
NO!!! As Guinness will make adds anyway, isn’t it better that they make an add on the courage of the Munster men. I was at boarding school in Limerick with the guy who made that tackle. Dennison was the skinniest guy ever to don a Munster jersey. I was privileged to play with Seamus for Munster schoolboys when Barry McGann played. Judge the add for its quality and not as some as some PC pipsqueak. I’m born and bred Leinster.
Totally correct Joe, Guinness advertising dominates all rugby coverage, and the drinks industry were successful in lobbying against a ban on the industry sponsoring sports events like they have in Europe. That would be the first step in disassociating alcohol from healthy popular pastimes, instead with every ad they are reinforcing the false image of sporting endeavor and drinking ten pints they are incompatible.
About time . Drink has destroyed this country for too long
No it has not. Drinking to excess and our attitude to drink (society and individual) causes issues.
*disclaimer* I used to work in Diageo but hated every minute of it so have no affinity to them or others
Well spoken liam
How are we still perceived as a nation of binge drinkers ?Overall alcohol consumption is falling year on year..and how much of the overall consumption can be put down to immigration..east europeans like their beer..tackle the louts that clog up a+e by hitting them in the pocket but not at the expense of the normal moderate social drinker..
This argument by the PC brigade against Diageo’s funding is sorely misguided in my humble opinion . They have no lost vital monies in a time of recession, and damaged their own campaign . For example who would complain about Volkswagen funding a road safety campaign , and their product, abused will kill u quicker than a wink . Diageo have a patiently obvious interest in curbing the abuse of their product, and I feel it’s good old irish politics at play here, somebody’s ego is dented, lost a position to a Diageo man on some comateeeee, well take a bow , and get out the collection buckets,
@gerry campell
Your Volkswagon/road safety campaign doesn’t make sense. Volkswagon will sell the same amount of cars irrespective of whether or not people drive safety. For Diagoe/drink resposibilty the more successful the program Diageo will have a direct loss of earning.
A more accurate analogy would be to compare Volkswagon sponsoring a campaign to maintain and re-use old cars
Try rereading the article and theB edit your nonsense comment.
Your VW analogy is correct – provided VW didn’t have the WORST record for contributing to road accidents. It would be wrong if the worst car company offered the funding if they expected a coverup. Either way, you would expect the money was well spent.
A misused GTi will kill u quicker than a misused GnT.
I can’t get over how naive Fergus Finlay is
Have a fundraiser for this group and call it Arthur’s Day
Fergus Finlay, the cuddly face of charitable professionalism…
Would you prefer charities to be run unprofessionally?
How about charitably?
Champagne Socialists need to be kept in champagne. Who better to do that than a drinks company?
Fergus is merely thinking of the children, in exchange for bags of cash. Nothing to see here.
Finley now to get more of the Adams treatment from the NUJ/RTE guardians of public morality with their repetition of the same tired questions – a substitute for journalism. They were wrong when they combined to fire Mary McAleese from RTE. Could they be wrong yet again!!! I’m heartened by the innate sense of fair play that we Irish continue display despite the constant pounding from the Corporate Media all singing off the one Fox hymn sheet.
Mental drinking is mental
Cheers
This is the company that has a free bar on a Friday at their place of work in Bangkok. Having a free bar at place of work is one thing but inviting an irish guest (me) to make what they want out of their bar is irresponsible.
This campaign has no credibility, apart from Diageo , it is top heavy with the involvement of media savvy PR types with a vested interest. It should be abandoned, we need an an independent reputable group to take over the work.
Personally, I’m more interested in the message than the messenger. The Out Of Control Drinking campaign was the only campaign instigated in my lifetime (55 years) to address core issues – such as personal responsibility, learnt behaviour and generational consequences – and to engage the population in a real way. My life has been destroyed by alcoholism and when I saw the first advert on a billboard in the North Strand, and knowing nothing about Diageo’s involvement, my reaction was ‘At Last!’. At last the issue is being addressed in an intelligent way, not this ‘units’ nonsense and ‘raising prices’ balderdash (because of course only the poor are alcoholic! Chugging Grand Cru doesn’t count. Jesus wept). The price of heroin doesn’t seem to make a difference to consumption, or the fact the GAA don’t have adverts around the pitch in Croke Park for crack cocaine. Addiction doesn’t give a —– about that stuff. But if you can appeal to the ‘person’, if you can break through to them the hurt they cause to people they love, if you can catch them before they repeat learnt behaviour or become the new teacher of that behaviour, you have some chance. I am pissed off this campaign is to lose its funding. I don’t give a rats if it’s from Diageo or from the Corleone family if it works. It is a fact that sometimes the right-on-left shoot themselves in the foot. I care that almost everybody I’ve tried to love in this life has been addicted to alcohol. It’s been the younger woman in too many relationships, and the favourite daughter in others, and it always says the same thing: “I love you, go away”. I KNOW about Diageo’s other campaigns, I know they market to the young, I believe it when I’m told they block policy reform. I don’t care about that in this particular context. Life isn’t black and white, we have to allow for grey areas and to also allow that sometimes, corporations manage to work in our favour. Perish the thought!
Lets see what the report Stop Out of Control Drinking campaign comes up with and then we can have a drink about it,
My suggestion is “penalty points for the out of control drinkers”,
and after receiving say 5 penalty pints,
I suggest they be made to clean up vomit and urine etc caused
by out of control drinkers in Temple Bar area preferable after
a weekend night as a community service
Diageo can provide the cleaning equipment and refreshments as required
have your say