‘Budget marks the beginning of getting things back to normal’- Minister Thomas Byrne
Budget Reaction
Minister for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne TD said Budget 2022 is a budget focused on "helping people rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the pandemic." He said that after an extremely tough 18 months, which saw so many lives and livelihoods destroyed, "this budget marks the beginning of getting things back to normal."
"There is crucial investment in childcare. For far too long, there has been little focus on the need for public investment in this sector. This Government recognises the childcare sector as an essential public service and we are serious about supporting working families. The cost of childcare was raised with me as one of the critical issues for the people in Meath East during the last General Election. We are focused on tackling the cost of living and reducing childcare costs is a central tenet of this ambition.
"Our health service has faced an unprecedented challenge over the last two year, with the Covid-19 pandemic. The commitments in the Budget will ensure that we can respond to the delays caused by the pandemic and the demographic changes that are placing greater demands on our health services. Despite all the negativity over the last few weeks, I am confident that Navan hospital will see increased services over the coming period.
"Budget 2022 sees historic levels of funding being allocation to housing. The Government’s housing policy, ‘Housing for All’, is the most ambitious housing plan ever seen in this country. It is workable, and Budget 2022 sees us put the money where our mouth is in terms of proving our commitment to resolving the crisis once and for all.
"Budget 2021, the ‘Covid budget’ saw unprecedented levels of welfare support – and still the opposition complained. They will complain again this year, but I am proud to be a member of the Government bringing this budget, which has fairness as its guiding principle, to Dail Eireann."
‘Budget 2022 short on big ideas’ - Deputy Darren O'Rourke
Budget 2022 was the sixth budget delivered by the Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael partnership and, "unfortunately, it won’t deliver the change that people want, need and deserve," said Deputy Darren O'Rourke (Sinn Fein) reacting to today's Budget.
"While there was a welcome fiver here and there, the budget was devoid of big ideas, and came up dreadfully short overall.
"Our major systemic challenges in health, housing and cost of living, for example, will remain.
"Freezing childcare costs isn’t enough. The state needs to take a central role in the sector, rates need to be significantly reduced and workers need to get the pay and recognition they deserve. Budget 2022 was a step forward, but a very limp one.
"Further, the Government didn’t do nearly far enough to protect people from runaway heating and electricity costs. Most people don’t qualify for the fuel allowance, and for those who do, the carbon tax hike will eat up the small increase.
"While measures to reduce public transport fees are welcome, they are partial and won’t be introduced for some time.
“Users of the 109A to DCU, for example, will wonder how better off they will be. Their friends who are looking to rent or buy will have found even less solace in the budget. Vulture funds won’t be challenged, rents will continue to spiral and students will continue to face huge costs.
"Budget 2022 failed to deliver the type of change that is needed. It showed up a government that is out of touch, out of ideas and fast running out of time.
‘We would double investment in housing’ - Deputy Johnny Guirke
"Sinn Fein TD for Meath West Johnny Guirke has said that it would be left for his party in Government to deliver for the ordinary worker and family.
"We would double investment in housing to deliver 20,000 homes, give a refundable tax credit to put one month’s rent back in the renters pockets, set up a €200 million fund for Mica and Pyrite defects which will increase yearly and an additional 4,200 homes would be delivered through a Buy and Renew Scheme as there is 90,000 vacant properties across the state.
"In health, mental health would receive an additional €114 million, €20 million would be put towards student nurses and midwives, and GP training places would increase by 25% from 200 to 250. We want to deliver free GP care over the next ten years with an allocation of €50 million a year.
"We would also tackle the waiting lists which has soared to nearly a million people under this Government.
"We want to guarantee every worker the right to retire at the age of 65 on a state pension.
"Childcare investment would increase by over €280 million to €790 million as the current investment from Government is €500 million.
"Our budget is about change, a change that makes a difference to families and workers across this state.
“Its about putting money back in their homes and pockets, and this change was promised in every election from Fine Gael and Fianna Fail and they never delivered, we at Sinn Fein will deliver this for the people."
No understanding of crisis engulfing ‘have nots’ – Deputy Peadar Tóibín
"The government still does not understand the magnitude and urgency of the crisis engulfing half the population of Ireland.
"There are roughly 1 million people in some form of housing distress – grappling with spiralling rents, on housing waiting lists, priced out of the market for new homes or in mortgage distress from the last property crash.
"Yet today this government introduced a Zoned Land Tax that will not be put into place for two or three years. This new tax will actually be a reduction from the 7pc Vacant Site Tax that it replaces.
"Site prices are increasing beyond 3pc and as a result this tax will not change the behaviour of land hoarders. There was nothing in this budget about the 180,000 vacant homes in the state.
"Are these the actions of a government that appreciates the urgency of the housing crisis?
"Total extra government investment to deal with the 1 million people on hospital waiting lists is €250m. That works out at €250 for each person waiting. The average cost of a bed in a public hospital is estimated at €889 a day.
"Is this the action of a government that appreciates the urgency of the health crisis?
"Aontú had called for a ‘carbon tax + market price’ limit for energy. If the purpose of carbon tax is to push people away from fossil fuel through price and the market has already achieved that price through inflation, how can you argue for the carbon tax to be still applied?
Imposing a tax years in advance without knowing the circumstance of people at that time is a blunt and dangerous fiscal tool that will do enormous damage to people. The funding for energy upgrades to houses will provide for 22,000 houses next year. There are 1.6 million homes in the state. It would take 72 years to upgrade each house in the state at that rate.
"The 50pc travel discount proposed in Budget22 will effect less than 7pc of the population and that’s if many of them can access public transport at all.
"The budget is also damaging for what it left out. There is no regional proofing in Budget22. There is no effort at all to re-balance the skewed spatial development that is leading to a lopsided country.
"Ireland will still be an overheating capital, a sprawling commuter belt and rural areas emptying out of young people. We called for a baseline 2:1 euro investment for outside of Dublin. This would mean that we would get real about regional development. For every euro spent in Dublin we would invest the very least €2 spent outside the capital.
"There was no mention of government waste in Budget22. Given the colossal impact of waste on our budgetary expenditure, this can not go on. Aontú is calling for a commission to prevent government Waste to root out the spiralling waste in so many government projects.
"The addition of the word national seems to guarantee a massive government overspend as can be seen in the National Children’s Hospital, the National Maternity Hospital, the National Convention Centre and the National Broadband plan. Each citizen owes a debt of €50,000 as a result, in part, of the outlier Covid restriction decisions the government made. This figure is set to increase.
"Indeed Ireland spent twice the EU average on Covid related costs because Ireland restricted far longer and far harder than any other country. More than €40 billion was spent on the government’s outlier restrictions policy. This is a figure comparable to the Bank Bailout. But shockingly Aontú will be the only party in all the Dáil who will challenge the government on this.
"The budget made little or no provision for the Mica crisis. This is startling considering given that on Friday a government minister committed to 100pc redress. They have set aside billions for a Covid contingency. Without a Mica contingency, how will any of the investment necessary be delivered next year?
"Ireland is also outlier in terms of how little the state funds on childcare. Today’s budget does not change that fact. Ireland invests a mere 0.3pc of GDP in childcare. Today’s increase in funding fails to bring us in line with either the OECD average or the UN recommendations. This a sector that is on the brink of all our protest from parents, workers and providers alike. We cannot provide high-quality, affordable childcare when we are not prepared to fund it. Budget 2022 will have a negligible impact in terms of alleviating the immediate crisis ongoing in the sector.
I believe that this Budget will accelerate our recovery - Minister Damien English
"Budget 2022 provides a much-needed boost to our business community as we emerge from the shadow that the pandemic has cast on our lives for the last 19 months. It will assist those businesses that still need support and will help others to grow their business thanks to specifically targeted measures.
"We have provided certainty through continued employment wage supports and almost €100 million will be available from my Department next year to support those businesses still battling the effects of Covid.
"A number of tax measures introduced will further assist business and I am particularly excited by the new €90 million Innovation Equity Fund. My Department will provide €30 million of this fund from savings with another €30 million each coming from the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund and the European Innovation Fund. This new Fund will leverage funding from private sources and will ensure that our start-up companies can secure the finance to keep them here in Ireland while their businesses grow and thrive.
"A further €35 million was also allocated to the Disruptive Technology Innovation Fund which will enable a further call for more innovative projects next year.
"Budget 2022 is also mindful of the two great challenges facing our businesses today: climate change and digital transformation. €10 million has been allocated to our new Green Transition fund. This will enable companies to invest in technologies that will help them to reduce their carbon footprint.
"Another €10 million is allocated to the new Digital Transition Fund. This funding is especially important to our SMEs and will increase digitalisation of all businesses across products, processes, supply chains and business models.
"The Government is also allocating €3 million to start establishing European Digital Innovation Hubs next year. The hubs will play a critical role in facilitating the digitalisation of Irish SMEs across all industries and regions.
The Local Enterprise Offices will benefit from a €2 million increase in their allocation which will ensure that they can provide increased training and related supports to assist SMEs in meeting the challenges posed by climate change and digitalisation.
"I am also pleased that the Regional Enterprise Development Fund has been allocated an additional €5 million. This targeted funding is so important to our regions, supporting innovation and collaboration and improving enterprise capability and driving local job creation.
"We have all seen how the world of work has changed in the last year and a half. In line with the other measures taken by Government to promote blended working arrangements for workers, the amount of light and heat expenses allowable for tax relief will increase to 30% of the total expenditure. This will help offset some of the costs workers incur while working at home.
"I believe that this Budget will accelerate our recovery. It is about helping our businesses to recover, grow and thrive. It is about job creation. It is about meeting the challenges ahead and rather than shirking from them, seizing the opportunities they present. Budget 2022 equips us to do just that