There are many ways in which families will benefit from this year’s budget. These include:

Childcare

Extra funding of €89 million allows for increased income thresholds for the Affordable Childcare Scheme and ongoing development of the scheme, along with measures to improve early years inspections.

Parental Benefit

A new scheme will be introduced providing 2 weeks’ Parental Benefit for insured employees and self-employed people. It will be paid at the same rate as Maternity Benefit and Paternity Benefit (from November 2019).

One-parent families

The earnings disregard for the One-Parent Family Payment and the Jobseeker’s Transition payment will increase by €20 per week, from €130 to €150 per week.

Working Family Payment

A maintenance disregard of €95.23 per week for housing costs, with the remainder assessed at 50%, will be introduced for the Working Family Payment to bring it in line with other social assistance schemes.

Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance

The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance will increase by €25 per child, from €125 to €150 for children aged 4-11 and from €250 to €275 for children aged 12-22 in full-time second-level education.

Health

The prescription charge for medical card holders over the age of 70 will be reduced from €2 per item to €1.50 per item. Prescription charges will be phased out for people in emergency accommodation.

The weekly income limit for the GP visit card will be increased by €25.

The monthly threshold for the Drugs Payment Scheme will be reduced from €134 to €12

Additional funding announcements:

€9 million is provided to support the introduction of the HPV screening test for cervical cancer and to extend the HPV vaccination programme to boys.

€12 million is provided to develop public health services for termination of pregnancy.

100 new therapy posts will address backlogs in assessment of need applications for children with disabilities and increase access to therapies for children.

Tusla

€33m is allocated to Tusla to implement HIQA recommendations on the management of child sexual abuse allegations, deliver on commitments to unaccompanied minor refugees, address cost pressures in private residential and foster care, and allow for further investment in family and domestic, sexual and gender-based violence support services.

To find out more, visit citizensinformation.ie call 0761 07 4000 or drop in to your local Citizens Information Centre.