The rental tax credit will be legislated for in the Finance Bill over the coming weeks. Once the Finance Bill has been passed by both Houses and enacted, I anticipate that individuals will quickly have the opportunity to register and claim the rental tax credit on the PAYE Anytime system, the Revenue's online system. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, will outline the details of that. I am aware particular issues and questions have been raised about the rental tax credit in relation to certain categories of …

I thank the Deputies. In response to Deputy Dillon, we are conscious that the next number of months will be very tough for many people. Deputy Carroll MacNeill gave an example of a business utility bill. We are seeing them being brought forward as well by households and constituents, who are sharing with us details of the bills they are receiving. What we have done will certainly help to insulate people to some extent, although not entirely and not in every case. We have to be honest about that. We have tried to ta…

Once again, we stand to deliver a budget against an extraordinary backdrop of uncertainty and challenge. INTRODUCTION We know that many of our people are finding it very difficult to make ends meet, face difficult choices in their daily lives and are seeing their household bills rise, seemingly by the day. We know that many are genuinely worried about what lies ahead in the months to come. We know too that many of our businesses that survived Covid, with the support of Government, now face a new and serious threat …

To acknowledge the additional costs that carers, who provide invaluable support, are incurring at this time, we will be making a payment of €500 to those who qualify for the carer’s support grant in November. We will also make a once-off payment before Christmas of €200 to those in receipt of the living alone allowance. In addition, it is important that we acknowledge that persons living with a disability face additional costs. In this regard, a once-off payment of €500 to those who qualify for disability allowance…

The total value of the new cost-of-living measures for households is €2.2 billion and will provide much needed help to individuals and families. This package of measures has been designed to help alleviate the financial burden faced by all households, but in particular to provide extra assistance to those who need it the most. SUPPORTS FOR PUBLIC SERVICES AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS In addition to the need to provide cash support for households, I am also acutely conscious of the pressure that rising prices, especi…

-----above the relevant rate of the State pension contributory. For over 70s specifically, I am increasing the weekly fuel allowance means test limit to €500 for single people and €1,000 for couples. I am increasing the rate of domiciliary care allowance by €20.50 to €330 per month and making this allowance available to parents of babies who have to remain in hospital for six months. I am increasing the top-up payment to participants on the community employment, Tús and rural social schemes by €5 to €25 per week. I…

This Government has prioritised special education. The last three budgets have delivered more than 3,300 additional special needs assistants, SNAs, and more than 2,000 additional special education teachers. Today’s budget allows for 686 additional teachers to support those with special educational needs in special classes, special schools and mainstream settings. With an additional 1,194 SNAs, this will be the highest number of SNAs we have ever had in our country's education system, at over 20,300. I am pleased to…

The Department of Education will work closely with schools and other stakeholders in the coming months on the implementation of this major reform. In recognition of the ongoing impact that Covid-related school closures and disruption has had on our school system, I am providing funding for the continuation of the enhanced summer programme for a further year, along with other well-being and inclusion supports. FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION, RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE Investing in our further and higher educatio…

This debate provides an important opportunity to consider the Government’s fiscal strategy for budget 2023, as set out in the summer economic statement. This morning I was glad to have the opportunity, alongside the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, to engage with colleagues at a meeting of the Committee on Budgetary Oversight. The meeting gave us a good opportunity to tease out in more detail some of the issues involved. The summer economic statement is an important part of our annual budgetary timetable. It s…

We had two hours of debate in committee.

Amendment No. 1 is a technical amendment to remove a reference to subsection (7A) of section 5 of the principal Act. That subsection is to be repealed by section 3 of the Bill. Amendments Nos. 2, 7 and 12 are a series of minor amendments to provide that the rules applying to employers as regards anonymous reports should be without prejudice to their obligations to give further feedback if requested to do so by the reporting person in accordance with section 6A(1)(f). The procedures of prescribed persons shall set o…

I appreciate that the time is limited and that colleagues may want to get on to issues that are covered by later amendments. I am happy to deal with those if they so wish, but that is where the discussion has gone in the past few minutes, which is fine. There are, I think, a few net issues that colleagues would like to tease out and I am happy to do it that way, but I am at your-----

I appreciate that.

Two key issues have been raised.

I am happy to deal with them. It is important we deal with them. One is on the question of the retrospective application of the Bill. The other is on the insertion of subsection 2(b) into section 13 of the Act. That is not an amendment before us but it is important to the overall debate, as I have acknowledged. At the discretion of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, let me deal with the issue of the retrospective application of this Bill. The political direction I gave to those involved in drafting the Bill and the Office …

I appreciate the comments of colleagues from throughout the House. I acknowledge there has been very good collaboration from all sides. The committee chaired by Deputy McGuinness did excellent work during pre-legislative scrutiny. It identified this issue. It is my view that we have gone beyond the recommendation in the pre-legislative scrutiny report on the retrospective application of the additional protections in the Bill. What we are doing is not in breach of the directive. In fact, the directive is silent on t…

These amendments provide for the deletion of section 8(2)(b) of the principal Act, as amended. Section 8(2)(b) provides that a worker employed by a public body can only report to a Minister if the worker reasonably believes the information disclosed in the report and any allegations contained in it are true. The intent behind the amendments the Bill is making to section 8 of the Act is to provide that a public sector worker should report, in the first instance, either to his or her employer or to a prescribed perso…

We will lay out a detailed implementation plan on the provisions of what will become new legislation and, certainly, later this year, the intention is to have that office up and running. We are engaging with the Ombudsman in that regard. While there may well be disagreements on specific aspects of the Bill, in the round, this represents very significant progress. I again acknowledge the work of Deputy Howlin in bringing forward the initial legislation. It was groundbreaking legislation for its time and it is timely…

What is the event?

I move the following Supplementary Estimate: Vote 29 - Office of the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications (Second Supplementary Estimate) That a second supplementary sum not exceeding €110,000,000 be granted to defray the charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2022, for the salaries and expenses of the Office of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, including certain services administered by that Office, and for payment…