NEWS

The Minister states: Financial literacy and education are an important part of financial consumer protection. Financial literacy works alongside many other consumer protections in place to help consumers make the most of their money, make informed decisions and improve their financial resilience and wellbeing. I published Ireland's first National Financial Literacy Strategy in February this year. This was a recommendation of the Retail Banking Review in 2022, and a Programme

The Minister states: This Government is committed to meeting the needs of our society by building more homes, of all tenure types, across the country. Embedding a sustainable property industry in Ireland is also an important factor in maintaining our economic development and growth. Last year, Government approved new national housing targets, aiming to deliver 303,000 new homes up to the 2030. Developing these homes will require significant levels of capital finance. A report

The Minister states: I recognise the concerns felt by businesses across the country about the cost and availability of public insurance cover. The most recent Central Bank National Claims Information Database (NCID) report on employers' and public liability and commercial insurance shows that in 2023, 56 per cent of policies had a premium of less than €1,000, and 90 per cent had a premium under €5,000. Neither the Minister for Finance nor the Central Bank of Ireland can inter

The Minister states: In making any decision in relation to VAT rates or other taxation measures, the Government must balance the costs of the measures in question against their impact and the overall budgetary framework. The Government is very conscious of the pressures being faced by businesses in the hospitality sector which is why it provided for a 9% VAT rate from 1 November 2020 to 31 August 2023 at a cost of over €1.3 billion. Apart from VAT measures, recent budgets con

The Minister states: Despite several economic shocks in recent years, the labour market in Ireland has proven resilient. The latest data bear this out. Over the last year alone, total employment has increased by 90,000, with the total number in work now exceeding 2.8 million, the highest ever. The unemployment rate stands at just 4.0 per cent, while female participation is at a record high. My Department set out its updated assessment of the economic outlook earlier this mont

The Minister states: The Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Act 2025 is the result of a recommendation in the Department of Finance's 2022 Review of Retail Banking. The objectives of the Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Act 2025 are: to ensure sufficient and effective access to cash in the State; to put in place a framework to manage future changes to the cash infrastructure in a fair, orderly, equitable, and transparent manner; and to

The Minister states: The Future Ireland Fund (FIF) and the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund (ICNF) were established in 2024 following the passage of the Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Act through the Oireachtas. The majority of the Act commenced on 30 July 2024. The Funds seek to future proof the public finances and to deal with future challenges such as demography, de-carbonisation, digitisation and de-globalisation. As the FIF is a lo

The Minister states: Finance Act 2020 legislated for annual increases in the carbon tax rate of €7.50 until 2029 and a final increment of €6.50 bringing the rate to €100 per tonne of carbon dioxide in 2030, with current rates based on charging € 63.50 per tonne of carbon dioxide emissions. Under the Programme for Government, it has been agreed to continue with the planned carbon tax increases, aligning with recommendations from the Climate Change Advisory Council and scientif

The Minister states: The primary aim of the Help to Buy scheme is to encourage additional supply of new houses by supporting demand. It also assists first-time purchasers with the deposit they need to buy or build a new home. The scheme provides a refund of Income Tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax paid in Ireland over the previous four years, subject to the limits outlined in the legislation. Based on the latest available data from 31 March 2025, it has supported almost

The Minister states: The Department of Children, Disability and Equality has policy responsibility for improving access to high quality and affordable Early Learning and Care and School-Age Childcare. DCDE has recently established a Supply Management Unit, and a key part of that Unit's remit is to develop a planning function, for monitoring, analysing and forecasting of the supply and demand for early learning and childcare in a nuanced and specific way at local area level. M

The Minister states: The Government are conscious of the implications of energy costs for all sectors of society. Electricity and gas retail markets in Ireland operate within a European regulatory regime wherein these markets are commercial, liberalised, and competitive and are overseen by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU). Price setting by energy suppliers is a commercial and operational matter for the companies concerned. As regards taxation, households a

The Minister states: The Funds Review recommendations on the taxation of investment funds and life assurance policies. As you are aware, in October 2024, my predecessor published the 'Funds Sector 2030: A Framework for Open, Resilient & Developing Markets'. This was an important and wide-ranging review of the funds and asset management sector in Ireland. The Report sets out 42 recommendations across a wide range of areas to support growth in the funds and asset management sec

The Minister states: The Help to Buy incentive, is a scheme to assist first-time purchasers with the deposit they need to buy or build a new house or apartment. It also has as an aim to encourage additional supply of new houses by supporting demand. Help to Buy provides a refund of Income Tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT) paid in Ireland over the previous four years, subject to limits outlined in the legislation. As of 31 March 2025, the scheme had supported almos

The Minister states: My Department is projecting a general Government surplus of € 8.7 billion in 2025. This surplus is heavily dependant on highly volatile corporate tax receipts. My Department, the Central Bank, the Fiscal Council and numerous others have highlighted that these receipts are not guaranteed into the future. My Department estimates the revenue-at-risk to be around € 13 billion this year; this estimate is broadly similar to that of the Central Bank and Fiscal C

The Minister states: Maintaining a variety of payment options in the State is important for the economy and for ensuring the financial inclusion of consumers who are older, on fixed or lower incomes or at risk of digital exclusion. The availability of non-digital payment options ensures that certain vulnerable groups are not excluded from participating in our society. This is why cash access has been ensured via the recently passed Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrast

The Minister states: I recognise the concerns on profitability levels in certain segments of the market. Structural reform and ensuring the long-term affordability and sustainability of the Irish insurance market, while ensuring a viable insurance sector, are priorities for this Government. The insurance market’s profitability in 2022 and 2023 was supported by significant reserve releases following the Covid-19 pandemic. After a number of years of losses, the National Claims

The Minister states: In line with the commitments made in the programme for Government, I recently announced a series of actions to accelerate the delivery of strategic infrastructure in Ireland, including the creation of a new infrastructure division in my Department. Initially, the infrastructure division will focus on the preparation of a systematic, evidence-based assessment of the barriers impeding timely infrastructure development. To undertake this work, experts from k

The Minister states: The programme for Government sets out the clear ambition to prioritise the delivery of transformative, critical and growth-enhancing infrastructure over the next five years.  To support these goals, Government has prioritised an early review of the national development plan, which is being led by my Department. From February, officials in my Department set about identifying the parameters, priorities and critical milestones for the review. This was done t

The Minister states: Budget 20 25 , announced by Government last October, set-out a planned gross expenditure envelope of €105.4bn. This funding has been provided to deliver on Government priorities and commitments, including continuing the delivery of a National Development Plan (NDP) which is providing the vital infrastructure we need to support our future economic and social progress. This funding is also providing appropriate income supports for better outcomes in tacklin

The Minister states: My department recently published the ‘Guidelines for the Responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in the Public Service’. These guidelines compliment and inform strategies regarding the adoption of innovative technology and ways of working already underway in the public service, and seek to set a high standard for public service transformation and innovation, while prioritising public trust and people’s rights. The Guidelines have been developed to acti