Anthony Murphy, the Green Party Rep for Drogheda Rural, 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. The Capital investment announced to deliver sustainable Transport is a great example of long-term thinking needed, and now delivered by the Greens in government” Murphy said today.
“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. In terms of nature, the money could be used to reintroduce once-common species like the osprey, remove barriers that stop fish swimming upstream, encourage healthier hedgerows for birds, insects, and small mammals, protect rural drinking water, and carry out bespoke management for important species and habitats.”
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 in our area will continue to be funded in the years to come.
Other measures which are specifically due to Green Party ministers include a further 25pc reduction in childcare costs and the Working Family Allowance which helps to families as they move from welfare to work. The 25pc 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 Anthony Murphy. “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.”
Green party leader Eamon Ryan said following the Budget that: “Halving childcare across two budgets is an indisputably significant move by the Green Party. This is our fourth Budget and I’m proud that, like the other three budgets, Budget 2024 is progressive and helps those most that need help most.
“The Climate fund is also significant because it makes it explains how the measures needed to fight climate change will be paid for in the years ahead. This makes it easier for individuals and business to plan accordingly.”
Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media, Catherine Martin TD said,
“We have increased investment to focus on the participation of women and girls in sport and increased funding in the Irish language and the Gaeltacht across a variety of programmes. We will also continue to support our tourism sector to enable its continued recovery and growth in a sustainable way.”
The specifically Green measures introduced in the Budget include:
- A special €3.1 billion fund to use windfall profits from corporation tax to protect nature over the rest of the decade
- Young Adult Leap Card – extension to 24-year-olds and 25-year olds with commitment to review further cuts for young people
- A reduction of the cost of childcare for toddlers by 25pc following a similar cut last year
- The retention of spending on arts and culture at the present record levels
- Help for actors and other creatives by increasing the film tax credit to films with budgets up to €125m
- Abolition of VAT on audio books and ebooks
- Three €150 energy credits – December, Jan/Feb, March/April (one funded out of windfall profit tax on energy companies)
- Extension of relief on VRT for electric vehicles to encourage the transition to electric cars
- Making the first €400 earned by householders from solar power micro generation tax free
- €90m for retro fitting for social housing
- Almost €1m a day for cycle and walk ways
Other measures include:
- Helping children by introducing hot school meals to all primary schools that express an interest
- Introduction of free text books for students studying the junior cycle
- Cutting the cost of college fees for all students and raised grants for Susi students and postgraduates
- Increase foreign aid by 8.4pc so that it represents almost 0.48pc of economic output
- Garda training allowance to increase from €184pw to €305pw
