The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman, has spoken out after the Budget 2025 was announced.
The Minister revealed there was an overall increase of 11% in funding, which is an additional €837M, for the Vote group and the highest ever year-on-year increase in funding for the Department.
The overall funding allocated to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in Budget 2025 amounts to over €8 billion.
Minister O’Gorman spoke out about Budget 2025 and the impact it has on his Department as he explained, “The increase in funding reflects the level of demand and funding required to provide assistance to children, young people and some of the most vulnerable people in our country”.
“It is essential in enabling us to advance our vision of a fair, equal, and inclusive society, where rights are respected and where everyone - from childhood onwards - is supported to achieve their potential”.
Some of the funding include an increased investment in early learning and childcare by 24% (€265.8M), an increase in funding for the Tusla, the Child and Family Agency by almost 14% (€145M) and an additional €6.95M (a 9% increase) to support and expand youth services.
Adding to this, there will be an additional €335.8M provided (12% increase) to the HSE for disability services.
There will also be a ‘baby boost’ payment that amounts to triple child benefit (€420) for parents during the month their baby is born to “help with those additional new costs a new baby brings”.
Speaking on The Last Word with Matt Cooper, O’Gorman expressed, “I’d be very aware that for years governments didn’t do enough for young families, families who had all the costs of childcare along with the costs of mortgages or rents and I’ve made it my mission to address that”.
The Minister described the measure as ‘small but meaningful’ for new parents who have additional costs to pay out for when their newborn arrives.
During his speech about the Budget 2025, Minister O’Gorman revealed, “Overall, I am proud to have significantly increased our allocation – by more than €837 million across current and capital funding”.
“This is a progressive budget, one that delivers the most for the least well off, and in particular through my own Department, targeted measures for those that need them”.
He added, “Across the Department, we are entrusted with responsibility for some of the most vulnerable people in our country – children, children in care, refugees, survivors, people with disabilities, people who may be facing disadvantage and discrimination”.
“This investment will support us to deliver for each of these groups. We continue to build on previous budgets in driving down costs for all parents and expanding access to early learning and childcare for children with disabilities and children from disadvantaged backgrounds. We continue to increase investment in Tusla and in youth services”.
