Budget 2020
Colm
Tel: 01-6183196
BROPHY TD Budget 2020 is about 4 issues A €1 billion No Deal package to protect Ireland from the worst of No Deal; Protecting the environment with cleaner air, warmer homes and sustainable businesses;
Balanced development with investment in schools, hospitals, houses, primary care centres, buses, and roads; Making life a little bit easier for families.
PREPARING FOR BREXIT A €1.2bn package to respond to Brexit, including €1bn for a No Deal Brexit. The 1st part is €200m for Brexit whatever form it takes. It is spending to increase staffing, upgrade ports and airports infrastructure, and invest in IT and facilities management. The 2nd part is €650m in the event of No Deal. If we do not need it, we will not borrow it. It will support the Agriculture, Enterprise and Tourism sectors and assist the most affected citizens and regions. Of this, €220m will be deployed immediately in the event of a No Deal. €110m to help vulnerable but viable firms adjust, and €110m for Agriculture with supports for our beef sector (€85m) and fishing fleet (€15m). Alongside this, €365m for extra Social Protection spending for those on the Live Register, with a further €45m to assist people to transition to new employment opportunities. Easier for Business to get Investment and Key Employees -- reform the Employee & Investment Incentive Scheme (EIIS) which gives income tax relief against investments up to €250,000 p.a.; enhancing the R&D tax credit focusing on smaller companies; improve Key Employee Engagement Programme (KEEP) which removes employee’ tax on share options. Self-employed -- increase earned income tax credit, introduced by FG, by €150 to €1,500.
A BETTER DEAL FOR FAMILIES Education -- 1,600 extra school posts including 150 extra teachers, over 1,000 Special Needs Assistants, and 400 additional teachers for special educational needs. A 2.5% increase in capitation for schools; €74m for higher and further education. A €2bn increase since 2016. Childcare -- 200,000 children now benefit from government childcare initiatives; increased thresholds for National Childcare Scheme (opens in November) to €60,000 net to benefit 7,500 more children. €100 rise in home carers tax credit to €1,600, up from €1,100 in 2017. Healthcare -- Free GP care for under-8s & free dental care for under-6s (both Sept 2020); more medical cards for over-70s, by increasing income thresholds, benefitting up to 56,000. Justice -- 700 additional Gardaí. After nearly 1,600 probationer Gardaí have attested since June 2017, meaning Garda Strength is now over 14,200. Elderly -- prescription charges for over 70s reduced to €1 from July; income limits for medical cards for over 70s will increase by €50 (€150 for a couple); Drug Payment Scheme threshold reduced by €10 to €114 p.m.; 1 million additional home care hours; 1,000 therapists, nurses and other professionals; €25m for the NTPF to reduce waiting lists; €5 p.w. increase in the Living Alone Allowance; increase in the fuel allowance by €2 p.w. Vulnerable -- increase earnings disregard for One Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker’s Transition by €15; increase the Working Family Payment income threshold for families with up to 3 children by €10; increase in Qualified Child Allowance up €2 (u12s) or €3 (o12s); full Christmas bonus to be paid in December; increasing the hours that carers can work or study.
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