The Budget 2027 has passed and a disgruntled general public have voiced their concerns over the new changes that are to be implemented next year, the major being parents with childcare.
“Overall this Budget could have been the one to make life affordable. Instead, it is the second FF-FG Budget that leaves most workers worse off,” Said Denise Mitchell TD for Sinn Féin.
In terms of childcare, Jack Chambers, Minister for Public Expenditure, announced a reduction from €735 to €550 per month, a decrease of 25%.
According to TheJournal.ie, this comes with the caveat that it is based on a 45-hour week, so families paying for childcare from 8am to 6pm are paying more and will have to continue paying more than €550 when the new regulations start next year.
“We in Sinn Féin have long argued that childcare fees should be capped at €200 per-month for full-time childcare, and this Government is only moving towards €550 per-month,” said Mitchell.
Campaigners have been saying that the new cost of disability payment has fallen short of their expectations.
“The Government have decided to leave them waiting yet again as the permanent Cost of Disability Payment is not actually scheduled to come on track until 2028,” Denise added.
The Budget promises a €500 payment in January, which the government has said could help more than 238,000 people with disabilities.
According to the Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI), this will only cover a fraction of what the extra costs will be for those who have disabilities.
“They have promised a lump sum in January – which should have been available immediately which is well short of what is required,” said Mitchell.
Denise continued “It is worth noting that the lump sum in January is only being made available to those dependent on long term social welfare.”
Last Thursday, up to 3,000 college students attended the protest in regards to college fees being too high with several students unions from each university attending as well.
In relation to the Budget 2027, the government agreed to reduce the fees by only €150 which brings it down to €2,350 from January onwards.
The reduction of €150 is effective immediately, if the students have already paid for their fees in the current year.
“Despite all their promises to students, the Government have left them paying €350 more in fees today than they were when the promise to abolish fees was first made.” Mitchell said.
It was also announced that there would be an increase in the SUSI grant for families with more than one child in university from €500 to €750, an increase of 4.5%.
This will also include an increase of 4.5% to maintenance grants across every band according to the budget itself.
With all these new changes, this still leaves Ireland being one of the most expensive countries for education across the European Union.
“At the rate Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are going, it will take nearly 16 years to abolish student fees in full.” Mitchell said.
“That means children not born today will be preparing for the Leaving Cert before we get to free fees, we in Sinn Féin called for student fees to be halved in this Budget.”
ACADEMIC INTERGRITY
In terms of the individuals I tried to contact, those being the TDs in the Dublin Bay North area which includes Tom Brabazon, Barry Heneghan, Denise Mitchell, Naoise Ó Muirí, and Cian O’Callaghan with only Denise Mitchell responsing to the email.
Source: Denise Mitchell (Sinn Féin)
Interviewed: Denise Mitchell
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