Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber on this important day. I welcome my friends from Newbridge in the Visitors Gallery.

As we know, a budget is more than just a series of numbers on a page; it is an embodiment of all our values. Budget 2023 is a very clear commitment to the Government's values and those of my party, Fianna Fáil, on whose behalf I am speaking. Those values concern an Ireland for all and equal opportunities. This budget is certainly very fair and progressive and it responds to our current challenges. There are progressive supports for households, businesses and schools. The budget also supports families with childcare costs, students and those who face school costs. We cannot forget the help-to-buy scheme extension, which is important to those who want to buy their own homes.

Budget 2023 was unveiled today against a backdrop of considerable international unrest. There is no doubt that this is one of the most crucial budgets of this Oireachtas term. Many households and businesses that were very well served by the Government during the Covid pandemic face a winter of further challenge and, of course, adversity. However, I am thankful that the Government has again shown its commitment to workers, families and small businesses. No budget could ever absorb every cost, but today's budget strikes a really good balance between what is possible within our financial powers and protecting our longer term financial stability.

I commend the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, on putting his very clear stamp on this budget and ensuring it will intervene in a timely manner to assist households with the escalating cost of living. We have seen a huge rise in what is available for the winter cost-of-living package in addition to business and public service support measures, totalling €4.4 billion. That is incredibly significant.

The electricity credits, totalling €600 for all households, will be paid in three instalments of €200, one before Christmas and two early in 2023. This will certainly help every single household. It will make a tangible difference in paying electricity bills and help support families and households through the winter ahead. We know it is a tried and tested measure that can be implemented, and we know it will make a huge difference. In addition, the €500 tax credit per renter is an exceedingly positive measure. I have already spoken today to renters from south Kildare who are delighted to see action to help alleviate the pressures they are under.

With regard to childcare, I was very pleased to see the funding to support a reduction of up to 25% in the weekly fee applying to those availing of the national childcare scheme. This comes at a significant cost of €121 million, but it is an important measure. It will put up to €175 per month, or €2,106 per year, back in the pockets of parents next year.

The allocation of €59 million to the recently established core funding model will provide for extra hours and enhanced capacity. Again, this is very significant. It will be payable in November.

As education spokesperson for Fianna Fáil, I have been heavily involved in the pre-budget process and have worked closely with the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, and her senior team to help devise budget 2023 and determine what it will mean in terms of education supports. I am pleased that we have been able to deliver so much in one year's budget to support parents, families, students and the whole school community. A key issue for me was the roll-out of free school books for primary students, with over €50 million in funding provided. We will see an additional 370 teachers put in place to reduce the primary staffing schedule by one point to 23:1, the lowest ever level. This is the third successive reduction since the Government was formed. It is without precedent and something I have been lobbying hard for since my election to the Oireachtas in 2016.

The supports being put in place for special education are very significant. An additional 686 special education teachers will be put in place to help support pupils with additional needs across special classes, special schools and mainstream settings. There will also be an additional 1,194 special needs assistants. How we treat and support vulnerable students is a crucial aspect of our education system. There has been a huge step in the right direction. This is just a flavour of what we are doing in education, but it is very important.

As a proud Kildare woman and friend of and advocate for our local Defence Forces personnel and their families, I am pleased to see the increase of €67 million over the corresponding 2022 budget allocation. This provides a financial platform for the defence sector to initiate the required transformation, as recommended by the Commission on the Defence Forces. It is a long time coming but it is worth it now that we are here. It will assist in bringing our defence capabilities closer to European norms while also ensuring that proper pay and allowances are given to our Defence Forces. The defence group pay and pensions budget has increased to €823 million and is important, including in meeting the pay and allowance costs of civilian employees.

From a housing perspective, I acknowledge the continued dedication of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, in his housing brief. The retention of the help-to-buy scheme, which has already supported more than 32,000 buyers with the deposit for their homes, is a significant measure to support buyers in what remains a very expensive market. We have seen €250 million for lending under the local authority home loan scheme, under which over €471 million has been loaned since February 2018, helping many households to achieve house ownership. This is a scheme in which many who attend my clinics in Newbridge have a great interest. It is one that will help them to get on the property ladder.

I commend the supports that have been put in place for higher education students. If they have paid student fees already, they will get €1,000 back this year, and will have a minimum reduction of €500 next year. I refer to improvements to the SUSI grant plus the double payment in November.

The extension of the 50% and 20% reductions on public transport is significant. The 50% reduction has been extended to 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds and also mature students in full-time education.

Let me mention some of the measures put in place for women's health. The extension of free contraception for women up to the age of 30 is very welcome. That there is funding for the very first time for IVF in this State is really important. This is something on which my colleague, Senator Ardagh, and I had been working very hard.As chairperson of the all-party Oireachtas group on dementia, I can say that the extra €2.1 million to roll out day services for people with dementia and the ring-fencing of 15% of home care hours for people with dementia are very important measures.

Living in safe and secure homes is something that we all want. Therefore, the addition of 1,000 new Garda recruits will help.

In conclusion, I commend the tireless work of this Government in providing a very comprehensive, fair and progressive package to tackle an unprecedented crisis. This budget will support the people of Ireland and is a huge step towards delivering an Ireland for all.