Minister for Finance Jack Chambers presented his first budget to the Dáil today since taking the position this June.
Student contribution
The Government have announced a temporary reduction of € 1,000 in the student contribution charge for third-level education, as they have done in the two previous budgets. The apprentice contribution will also be decreased by 33%. The state fee contribution for eligible postgraduates will rise by € 1,000 to € 2,000.
A spend of € 4.5 billion for the Department of Further Education, Research, Innovation and Science has also been announced.
Minimum Wage Increase
The minimum wage will increase from € 12.70 to € 13.50. (full minimum wage only applies for 20 and older). The threshold for paying the initial 3% rate of the Universal Social Charge (USC) will increase to € 27,000, meaning someone working 39 hours a week on minimum wage can expect an approximately € 1,424 increase in net annual take-home pay.
€ 336 million of increased funding has been announced for disability services. Additionally, Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) will be provided free of charge for women in 2025.
Excise duty for cigarettes will increase by € 1, while the cost of E-cigarette liquid will rise at a rate of 50 cents per millilitre.
Check-in with the University Times for further updates on the budget later today.
