Everything we can expect from Budget 2025
Amy Blaney, Caoimhe Gordon and Ryan Nugent
The Government will unveil its multi-billion euro Budget today with a highly anticipated cost-of-living package.
The Coalition has promised further tax cuts, social welfare payment increases and spending on infrastructure.
Follow the Irish Independent’s liveblog for coverage of the Ministers’ speeches at 1pm, with analysis and comment throughout the day.
Key updates
VAPES Vapes will be hit with a 50 cent tax per millilitre of e-liquid under Budget 2025. The vape tax will be rolled out in the middle of next year. The Government hopes that by announcing the tax a few months earlier, it will give retailers sufficient time to work out how much tax to charge per product. For example, a disposable vape with 2 ml of e-liquid will now cost an extra €1 with the new vape tax. A disposable vape costing €8 will cost €9.23 under the new scheme Gabija Gataveckaite
SOCIAL WELFARE Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys has secured a significant budget package for carers which includes: Major increase in the Carer’s Allowance means test limits to €625 per week for a single person and €1250 per week for a couple Carer’s Support Grant will be increased to €2000 Carer’s Benefit will be extended to Self-Employed workers  Carer’s Allowance will be made a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance  A €400 Lump Sum Payment for Carers Two Double Payments for Carers in October and November  €12 increase in weekly Carers Payments from January €20 increase in the Domiciliary Care Allowance Welfare double payments:  Double payment of all welfare rates in October and December. Double payment of child benefit in November and December.  Additional bonus payments:  €400 bonus payment of disability support grant €400 bonus payment carers support grant €200 living alone allowance bonus payment 400 working family payment bonus payment €100 child support grant (formerly qualified child) bonus payment Philip Ryan
IVF SCHEME The Government’s free IVF scheme will be expanded in two areas next year. Firstly, the scheme will include Donor Assisted IVF. Currently, couples who require a donor egg or sperm are unable to access publicly funded IVF because donor materials are not regulated. However, with the passing of the Assisted Human Reproduction Act this year and a new regulatory authority being established (the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority), couples who need requiring donor assistance will now be able to access the free IVF scheme. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is also planning to amend the criteria to include couples experiencing what is known as ‘secondary infertility’. These are couples who have an existing child but then have fertility issues. One element of the current criteria sets out that a couple accessing publicly funded IVF must have no living children together. Publicly funded IVF was first introduced in September 2023 and so far, over 1,200 couples have availed of the initiative. Gabija Gataveckaite
€200 lump sum in November for Living alone Allowance
Carer’s Support grant to increase by €150 to €2,000.
October bonus double payments for social protectionÂ
Parents of newborns will receive a special one-off baby boost of €420.
Once-off 33pc reduction in fees paid by apprentices in third-level education.
Maternity, paternity, adoptive and parents’ payment set to increase by €15, Minister Donohoe tells the Dáil.
Extending hot school programme to all remaining primary schools in 2025.Â
Additional funding for students through the student assistance fund.
€300 lump sum to Fuel Allowance recipients next monthÂ
€200 once-off payment to be paid to recipients of the living alone allowance
“We have faced unprecedented challenges,” Minister Donohoe says, adding that they were “external in origin” but caused “real impact at home.”
Paschal Donohoe, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform of Ireland, is now addressing the Dáil.
VAT on installation of heat pumps will go down to the 9pc reduced rate from the current rate of 23pc.Â
This measure will “complement the Government’s National Retrofit Plan,” he says.
The rate per tonne of carbon dioxide emitted by petrol and diesel vehicles will go from €56 to €63.50 from next Wednesday, October 9.
Up from 10pc to 15pc with immediate effect, the Minister says.
VAPES
- Vapes will be hit with a 50 cent tax per millilitre of e-liquid under Budget 2025.
- A disposable vape with 2 ml of e-liquid will now cost an extra €1 with the new vape tax.
- It will commence in the middle of next year
But Minister Chambers said his officials will work on this with a view to making a proposal in advance of next year’s Budget.
Barriers for charities who wish to have access to tax benefits under the Charities Donations Tax Scheme will be removed. Charities will no longer have to be established for at least two years to access the scheme.
Increase of excise duty on a 20 packet of cigarette by €1.Â
This will bring the price of cigarettes in the most popular price catagroy to €18.05.
