DUBLIN (AFP) – The Irish government yesterday unveiled its budget for the upcoming year and its plans to deal with widespread problems caused by the cost of living and energy crises.
Finance minister for Ireland’s three-party governing coalition Paschal Donohoe revealed the spending measures in the Dail, the state’s Lower House of Parliament.
The date for the budget announcement was brought forward by two weeks because of the urgent need to deal with inflationary and supply chain pressures on households and businesses.
On top of an EUR6.7 billion- (USD6.5 billion) package laid out in the government’s Summer Economic Statement, the Republic is set to introduce a one-off set of measures to alleviate the cost of living, reportedly of between EUR2-3 euros.
On Saturday, Donohoe reiterated the budget would “put money back in the pockets of people” but would stop short of raiding surplus funds.
“There will always be demands on us to do more and to spend more but we are in really uncertain times, we are dealing with a crisis caused by a huge war in Europe and we cannot be sure how long this will go on for,” he said.
