Budget tackles childcare fees, cost-of-living crisis and climate change - Kilkenny Councillor

Green Party councillor Maria Dollard has welcomed the many Green measures in this week’s Budget which include far-reaching initiatives to improve children's lives, combat the cost-of-living crisis and improve the environment.

“There are a lot of measures in this Budget to help people and their families financially but there are also visionary measures that will have a long-term effect on combatting the climate crisis,” Councillor Dollard said today. 

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“The reduction overall of childcare fees by a total of 50% from next September is very significant. These fees have been crippling families for a generation and at last are being addressed. Free contraception for women up to 31 years of age is also important and shows what can happen when women get into government in their numbers. The €3.1bn climate and nature fund which will use the proceeds of windfall corporate taxes, means we can cut Ireland’s use of fossil fuels, retrofit our public and private building stock and help businesses decarbonise. That fund is locked in no matter who is in government so its future proofed. The extention of the free hot meals will benefit rural schools where every school supports children who will really benefit from this measure. The free school books extended to Junior cycle is very welcome as this is a huge cost for families.”

Other Green measures to tackle cost-of-living include cheaper transport for the country’s 24- and 25-year-olds and a commitment to look at cutting travel costs for the under-18s next year. This measure continues Green Party measures from previous budgets which cut transport fares for adults and young people aged 19-24. Tax reductions have been extended for electric cars and new funding for the retrofitting of social housing has been announced. 

The Green Party philosophy has always been focused on helping families to live happy, sustainable lives. This philosophy has been underpinned by measures in the Budget from Green Party ministers which keep funding in the arts and sport at record levels. This means that local arts and sports projects will continue to be funded in the years to come. 

Other measures which are specifically due to Green Party ministers include a further 25% reduction in childcare costs and the Working Family Allowance which helps to families as they move from welfare to work. The 25% cut in childcare costs which takes effect next September, means the Green Party has almost halved the cost of childcare in the past two years.

“The Green Party has made a real difference in Government. We have made sure that Ireland is a greener, cleaner, fairer society,” said Cllr Dollard.

“Every Budget since we entered government has been a progressive Budget that helps to redistribute resources from the wealthy towards the less wealthy. I’m proud that the party has been the most successful and influential junior coalition partner in Irish history.”