The Gov.ie website has published a high level overview of Budget 2024, which aims to explain how money will be raised and spent in 2024.

Personal ServiceThe Guide is broken down into three sections:

  1. One-off cost of living supports
  2. Tax measures
  3. Expenditure measures

 

One-off cost of living supports

Measure Date
€450 electricity credits (3 x 150) 2023/24
€300 Fuel Allowance lump sum Winter 2023
€200 Living Alone Allowance lump sum Winter 2023
Double month Child Benefit Winter 2023
€400 Working Family Payment lump sum Winter 2023
€100 Qualified Child Increment lump sum Winter 2023
Double week for all weekly welfare schemes January 2024
€400 lump sum to selected welfare categories* Winter 2023
Double payment of Foster Care Allowance Winter 2023

(* Payment to people getting Carer’s Support Grant, Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension, Domiciliary Care Allowance (one payment per person/household)

Tax measures

  • an increase of €2,000 in the income tax standard rate cut-off point for all earners
  • €200 increase in the Incapacitated Child Tax Credit
  • €100 increase in the Personal Tax Credit
  • €100 increase in the PAYE Tax Credit
  • €100 increase in the Earned Income Credit
  • €100 increase the Home Carer Tax Credit
  • €100 increase in the Single Person Child Carer Credit
  • a reduction in the middle rate of Universal Social Charge (USC) from 4.5% to 4.0%
  • an increase of €2,840 in the threshold at which the middle rate of USC is paid, from €22,920 to €25,760
  • increase in the Rent Tax Credit from €500 to €750
  • 75c Increase in Excise Duty and VAT on a pack of 20 cigarettes
  • extension of VRT relief for Battery Electric Vehicles to the end of December 2025

Expenditure measures

  • Free School Book Scheme for junior cycle students at post-primary level
  • 1,000 new Garda and 250 Garda Staff
  • restoration of maintenance grants to postgraduate students on a similar basis to undergraduates
  • 400 additional military personnel
  • €67 million to provide 16,000 craft apprenticeship programmes
  • 10,200 new tenancies under the HAP and RAS schemes
  • 20% fare reduction on public transport continued to end of 2024
  • 6,400 affordable homes for sale and rent
  • 6,000 new households supported through Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme
  • €207 million to bring back vacant and derelict units through the voids programme and Croí Cónaithe scheme
  • €12 increase in the Weekly Social Welfare Rate for working age recipients
  • €12 increase in weekly payments for Pensioners
  • €54 per week increase in the Working Family Payment threshold
  • €4 increase in weekly rate for a Qualified Child
  • up to 2,000 additional staff to enhance capacity across acute and social care services
  • €1 million per day invested in cycling and walking infrastructure
  • €1 billion for the development, protection and renewal of our road network
  • €348 million to connect a further 100,000 homes to fibre broadband
  • National Childcare Scheme hourly subsidy increased from €1.40 to €2.14 effective from September 2024
  • €380 million for residential and community energy schemes
  • additional €50 million for school transport scheme
  • over 1,216 SNAs and 744 Special Education Teachers
  • extension of Child Benefit to 18 years old in full time education