These are all excellent questions which I will be in a position to answer a little later in relation to the duration of the wage agreement, the issues that will be covered off within it and the policy matters that will be included within it. To touch on some of the answers I can give at this point, first, I hope to be in a position to engage through my officials with the public sector bodies in the coming weeks in relation to a successor to Building Momentum because I believe that these wage agreements, over many y…

That is the system that has been in place since 2016. There is pretty binary clarity indicated in whether someone is performing in their job or not. There is merit in that approach. In any case, we have committed to review the system that is in place. In the renewal action plan for the Civil Service which the Government has agreed, action step 3 commits us to a review of the Civil Service performance management policy and culture to look at how we can deal with issues of individual performance. We will have a furth…

I take on board the point made by the Deputy. I can see the merits of a more graduated way of doing it. Before I entered public life myself and became a politician, I saw how these performance reviews worked and they were graded. It works very well in other employers. I will make sure this is looked at in the context of the review of the system next year. Return times, that is when clients and customers of public services get a call back or follow up on the issue they raise, should be in place. If it needs legislat…

That is a new one.

It is a first.

No, he never said that.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue with me, which he has done on a number of occasions before. Much of the delay that has been caused is due to the requirement we have to publicly consult on the impact a scheme like this can have on the environment. I very much appreciate the importance of this issue, and that has just been highlighted to all of us as we see the dreadful flood damage that has been caused in Midleton and elsewhere. I will certainly be looking at this and other schemes to see how we can move t…

Thank you, Ceann Comhairle. INTRODUCTION Recent budgets in this House have responded to Brexit, to a pandemic, to the war in Ukraine, and now to the rising cost of living. In response to all of these challenges, the Government has helped. Businesses received huge support while their trade was disrupted due to Covid. The wages of those impacted by the pandemic were supported. Shelter and warmth have been provided to those fleeing conflict. Significant help was provided and is being provided to those coping with larg…

In addition to this, those in receipt of a weekly social welfare payment, will receive a once-off double week cost-of-living support payment to all qualifying social protection recipients. This will be paid in January and will include pensioners, carers, those on disability payments and jobseekers.

To support those most in need, a special one-off payment of €400 will be made before Christmas to those who receive the carer’s support grant, disability allowance, blind pension, invalidity pension and domiciliary care allowance. This is a budget that makes concrete progress in ensuring that Ireland is one of the best places in the world to be a child. A double payment of child payment, worth an additional €140 for each child, will be made to all qualifying households before Christmas. A double payment of the fost…

-----to €46 per week for under-12s and €54 per week for over-12s; the hot school meals programme will be expanded to a further 900 primary schools in April 2024; and parents benefit will be extended to nine weeks from August 2024. I am also: increasing the monthly rate of domiciliary care allowance by €10; extending the child benefit payment to 18-year-olds in full-time education; and raising the income threshold on the working family payment by €54 per week. QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE Building on this, I am …

We are increasing investment on the supply side through additional core funding. This will support providers, support workers and help to maintain the fee freeze. We will increase the statutory foster care rate by the end of 2024 by €75 per week-----

-----for children under 12 and €73 per week for children over 12, bringing it to €400 and €425 per week, respectively. Further supports to that Department will provide €64 million for investment in disability services to deliver 90 more additional residential places; further development of respite services; 1,400 day places for school leavers; increased personal assistance hours; and rate increases for staff who are providing these home supports. SUPPORTS FOR EDUCATION Education, as we know so well, is vital for in…

Further measures include capitation payments to schools from the beginning of 2024 and a €50 million increase in funding for school transport. These announcements represent further important strides in transforming the quality, the affordability and the inclusivity of our education system. SOCIAL PROTECTION While providing supports, we also need to ensure that our welfare system improves living standards and helps all to fulfil their potential. I am announcing a social protection package for 2024 worth almost €1.1 …

-----by 2023. HEALTH Just as housing has been a challenge for our society, a challenge that we are rising to, so, of course, the last three and half years have been a period of great challenge for our health services. Similar to other countries, the health sector continues to experience the impacts of the post-emergency phase of the pandemic. In recognition of these challenges the Government has prioritised very significant investment in the health services with a level of spending without precedent. As a result of…

-----we have reduced the drug payment scheme costs; and we have introduced publicly funded assisted human reproduction. Budget 2024 continues the very high level of investment in our public health system by providing for a total allocation of €22.5 billion. This includes an €808 million increase in core current funding to address the demographic and service pressures that we know are there. I am also allocating non-core resources of over €1 billion for Covid and Ukraine spending in the health sector. This will faci…

By 2030, in just over six years’ time, we aim to meet 80% of Irish electricity needs from renewable energy. This budget provides funding for the staffing of agencies to deliver that goal. To help households with the green transition, the budget provides a further €380 million to residential and community energy schemes. This will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy bills, meaning households throughout Ireland will be warmer and healthier, while having more money in their pockets. Within this funding, a recor…

To that end, this budget will provide €3.5 billion to the Department of Transport, comprising €892 million in current and €2.7 billion in capital funding. Current funding will provide for the continuation of the temporary 20% fare reductions until the end of 2024, the roll-out of further services through BusConnects, Connecting Ireland and new town service plans, and the transition to a world-class fuel efficient maritime and inland aviation rescue service. This funding will support the construction of MetroLink, t…

-----in direct payments to farmers. TOURISM, CULTURE, ARTS, GAELTACHT, SPORT AND MEDIA The budget today provides €1.17 billion for the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. The allocation will support enterprise and employment in our tourism sector, through targeted measures to support businesses impacted as a resulted of the war of Ukraine; support our creative arts sector; fund our national cultural institutions; support our audiovisual industry; and support Irish as a living language.…

-----current expenditure of €21 million and an additional €34 million in capital expenditure, compared with the original plan, to further progress the priority recommendations of the Commission on the Defence Forces and the independent review group, as well as funding the first year of the tribunal of inquiry. We will do all of this because increasing our Permanent Defence Force numbers is key to building capacity and further progressing the reform programme which is under way. This allocation will provide for the …