This guide provides a high-level overview of Budget 2022. It aims to explain how money will be raised and spent in 2022. We hope this will allow you to take part in informed debate about the choices made by the government.
Health
- Free GP care for children aged 6 and 7.
- Threshold for the Drug Payment Scheme lowered to €100.
- €250 million to tackle hospital waiting lists.
- Free contraception for women aged 17-25.
- €30 million to allow patients greater access to high-tech drugs.
- Expanding dental access to medical card patients.
Social
- National Childcare Scheme universal subsidy extended to all children aged up to 15.
- €5 increase in weekly social welfare payments.
- €5 increase in weekly payments for pensioners.
- Living Alone Allowance to be increased by €3.
- Fuel Allowance increased by €5.
- Parent’s Benefit increased by 2 weeks to 7 weeks from July 2022.
- Introduction of a Youth Travel Card for those aged 19-23.
Housing
- 11,820 new social homes will be delivered through build, acquisition and leasing programmes. 9,000 of these will be new build homes.
- €18 million for the delivery of Traveller accommodation.
- 11,000 grants to adapt the homes of older people and people with a disability.
- 14,800 new households to have their housing needs met under the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Scheme, in addition to supporting almost 82,000 existing tenancies under these schemes.
Education and Training
- 1,165 additional SNA’s, bringing the total number of SNA’s to almost 19,200.
- An additional 350 teachers to reduce school staffing schedules by 1 point for all primary schools.
- 7,600 places in Further Education and Training courses in key skills areas of the economy.
- 980 additional special education teachers working in special classes, special schools and mainstream settings to support children with special educational needs.
- Off-the-job training places for 7,000 craft apprentices impacted by COVID-19.
- A €200 increase in the maintenance grant payment in the Student Support Scheme.
- Recruitment of up to 800 new trainee Gardaí and 400 Garda staff.
Source: Gov.ie
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