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Budget 2019: Everything YOU need to know

Budget 2019: Everything YOU need to know

The government has unveiled Budget 2019 with no real surprises in Paschal Donohoe's plan.

More than 66 billion euro will be spent next year with the main measures coming in social welfare, health care and income tax.

Here's what you need to know:

General: 

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13:09: €110 million to be invested in Brexit measures.

13:11:  Rainy day fund to be set up with 1.5bn from the Strategic Investment Fund and 500 million from the exchequer.

13:13: Budget 2020 will be balanced for the first time since 2007.

13:14: There'll be a total extra spend in this budget of 1.5 billion.

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13:15: Economy set to grow by 4.2% in 2019.

 

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Where does the government's money go? We've sized #Budget19 down to a tenner...

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Here's what the people of the South East had to say about Budget 19:

 

Housing

13: 17: A total of €2.3bn to be invested in social housing.

13:18: €60 million to be invested in emergency accommodation.

13:21: 100% mortgage interest relief to be offered on any loan used to pay for a rental property from 2019.

13:22: By the end of 2018, 70,000 housing solutions will have been offered to those in need of accommodation.

13:23  €1.25bn to be allocated for the construction of social housing in 2018 alone.

13:26: Paschal O'Donohoe says increases in property prices "have caused concern".

Health Care

13:25: There'll be a €25 increase in the weekly income threshold for GP visit cards.

13:29: Two extra weeks' parental leave to all parents of a child under one.

13:28: €1.05bn increase in health budget funding for 2019. Health budget now stands at €16.3 billion.

13:29: An extra €84 million euro for mental health services next year.

13:33: Pack of 20 cigarettes to increase in price by 50 cent

13:36: Alcohol has been left alone.

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The price of a pack of 20 cigarettes is to go up by 50 cent. #budget19

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13:34: Prescription charges down 50 cent.

13:34: Minimum excise on tobacco products to rise so that all cigarettes sold below €11 will have the same excise as more expensive ones

Social Welfare:

13:34: €5 per week increase in all social welfare payments from next March.

13:35: Christmas bonus for social welfare recipients to be restored to 100%.

Child Payments:

13:30: We'll have an increase in qualified child payments of  €2.20 per week for under 12s and 5.20 per week for over 12s.

13:33: Back to School Clothing & Footwear Allowance to be increased by €25.

Education:

13:41: 1,300 additional posts to be created in schools across 2019, while 950 Special Needs Assistants will be recruited.

13:43: €196 million for capital spending in education, which will create 18,000 new permanent school places.

We spoke to Ciarán Sheridan from Sheridan Insurances who looks at how education fared in Budget 19.

Roads:
13:45: Extra €40 million for pavement repair and rehabilitation work on the regional and local roads.

Media:

13:49: Newspaper prices to remain the same, with VAT retained at 9%. This will allow the media to "meet the challenges of a changing environment."

Gambling:

13:50: Betting tax to double from Jan 1st, 2019.

Climate Change:

13:53: €164 million to be spent on achieving climate objectives.

13:55: 1% surcharge on Deisel vehicles across all VRT bands.

13:56: Ireland to no longer purchase diesel buses.

13:57: No change to diesel or petrol prices.

Aid:

14:02: Overseas aid to increase by €110 million.

Crime: 

14:03; An Garda Siochana budget to increase by €60 million.

14:11: 800 extra Gardaí to be recruited in 2019.

Sport & Culture: 

14:05: €126 million to be set aside for sport.

14:06 An extra €36 million for Department of Culture to include money for restoration works.

14:07: VAT rate in the tourism industry to increase to 13.5% from Jan 2019.

Income Tax: 

14: 07: Minimum wage to increase to €9.80.

14:09: The threshold for a higher rate of employer PRSI increased from €376 to €386.

14:10 Third rate of USC to be cut from 4.75 to 4.5%.

14:13: New public service entrants to see an increase in basic starting pay.

 

 

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