Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Today, we have budget 2022, which has €87.6 billion of supports. It is there to help people get back up on their feet again after this pandemic and lockdown. For jobs, we are seeing a continuation of the wage subsidy scheme and the raising of the standard income band by over €1,500. For young families, there is the largest budget ever allocated for Housing for All. For older members of our community, there is an increase in the fuel allowance by €5 and €5 for the pensions. There is an increase in the minimum wage and in the USC rate bands to accommodate that rise. We are also seeing a focus on healthcare, with the increase in acute beds and in mental health as well. For young people and students travelling to work or college, that 50% off public transport with the youth travel card is going to make a massive difference, in particular as many students are commuting as they are unable to find accommodation. In further and higher education, there are over 7,600 new places and over €200 million is being allocated for students under the Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, scheme. In our primary schools, the staffing ratio has been reduced by a point, with 350 new teachers and 1,165 extra special needs assistants, SNAs, bringing their number up to 19,200.

With regard to my area of Roscommon and Galway, the remote working income tax reduction will encourage people to live and work in rural and remote areas, in regional areas and in towns and villages outside of urban and city centres. That is proposing an income tax reduction of 30% in regard to heating, broadband and electricity. For hospitality and for pubs, cafés and hotels in our local areas, the VAT rate is maintained at 9%. The zoned land tax is crucial to getting developers moving and building homes. Retrofitting of homes is also crucial and it is happening in our estates and in my own town of Ballinasloe.

Some €11.1 billion in 2022 is allocated for the national development plan. That is about getting the 50-bed unit Portiuncula Hospital, it is about getting the new national rehabilitation unit in Roscommon hospital and it is about getting another 50-bed unit for the Sacred Heart care home in Roscommon. It is also about getting the Galway to Athlone cycleway, which was launched yesterday. It is incredible to see that work is starting and progressing on the bridge over the River Shannon. That is investment into the west. We are also seeing the importance of sport and physical activity, which, of course, is linked to mental health - it is good for heads and good for hearts. We are seeing an increase, hopefully, to the funding allocated to sports capital.

This is a budget to support all and I look forward to more discussion on it. It is important that it is bringing benefits to rural areas as well.