Taking to their feet in the Dáil today, Finance Minister, Michael Noonan, and Public Expenditure Minister, Brendan Howlin, revealed the measures which will comprise the Coalition's 'family-friendly' Budget.

If, however, you have been left reeling by innumerable facts and figures bandied about by Government ministers this afternoon, then why not check out the main points of today's announcements in our quick and easy guide below?

Here are the key features of today's Budget announcement.

Universal Social Charge

  • Entry threshold to USC will rise from €12,012 to €13,000
  • The 1.5% rate will be reduced to 1% for the first €12,012 of income 
  • 3.5% rate will drop to 3% on increased threshold of €18,668
  • The top rate of 7% will be reduced to 5.5% for income in excess of €18,668 up to €70,044

Childcare

  • Second year free pre-school care for every child aged between three and five and-half-years-old or until they begin their primary school education

Child Benefit

  • Child benefit will increase by €5 per month resulting in a €60 increase per annum.

GP Care

  • Free GP care will be extended to all children under the age of 12.

Parental Leave

  • As of September 2016, fathers will be able to secure two weeks paid parental leave.

Lone-parent families

  • Single parents will no longer be compelled to take up employment when their youngest child reaches age 7.
  • Increases to the income threshold for those that do seek work at this time will increase from €60 to €90 before assessment at the new lower rate of 50% of income down from 60%. 

ATM and Debit Card Charges

  • A 12c charge will be introduced on ATM transactions as a replacement for the current €5 stamp duty on debit and ATM cards.

Social Welfare

  • The Christmas bonus will be restored to 75% of the recipient's weekly payment meaning a claimant who is receiving unemployment benefit of €188 will receive a bonus of €144

Minimum Wage

  • Minimum wage will be increased from €8.65 to €9.15 per hour from 1 January 2016

Excise duty of cigarettes

  • As of midnight tonight, a 20-pack of cigarettes will cost €10.50.

For specific family case studies see:

Lone-parent case study

Two-parent case study
 

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