Your guide to Budget 2023

This guide provides a high-level overview of Budget 2023.

It aims to explain how money will be raised and spent in 2023.

• weekly social welfare rates will be increased by €12 for working age recipients
• there will also be a €12 increase in weekly payments for pensioners
• the Working Family Payment threshold will increase by €40
• there will be a €2 increase in the weekly rate for a qualified child Item was unpublished or removed
• there will be an increase in eligibility for Fuel Allowance
• a €500 lump sum for families availing of the Working Family Payment, a €500 lump sum for carers, a €500 lump sum for people in receipt of Disability payments and a €20 increase in the domiciliary care allowance for sick children

• all inpatient hospital charges will be abolished
• GP visit cards will be provided to those on or below the median income (340,000 additional people)
• there will be a €2 increase in the weekly rate for a Qualified Child
• the Drug Payment Scheme threshold will remain at the lower rate of €80 in 2023
• funding will be provided to provide access to IVF treatments
• free contraception will be available for all women aged between 16 and 30

• there will be a Free School Book Scheme for primary school pupils from autumn 2023
• over 660 additional mainstream teachers, over 1,190 SNAs and 680 special education teachers will be provided
• the National Childcare Scheme hourly subsidy is to increase from 50c to €1.40
• there will be a €500 increase in post-graduate contribution grant for eligible families
• over 4,800 additional places on craft and consortia-led apprenticeships and 4,000 places on craft apprenticeship programmes will be supported

• funding will be made available to support 8,800 new HAP tenancies and 800 RAS tenancies
• 9,100 new-build social homes, 5,500 new affordable homes for sale and rent and 6,500 new social homes will be supported
• funding to deliver 37,000 home energy upgrades

• 1,000 new Garda and 430 Garda staff will be provided
• the 20% fare reduction on public transport will be extended to the end of 2023
• a €1.2 billion package of supports for businesses hit by soaring energy costs