Budget 2025: What Cork TDs want to see implemented

CORK SOUTH CENTRAL

Budget 2025 will be “very much focused on helping protect people from the increased cost-of-living”, Tánaiste Micheál Martin has told The Echo.

Mr Martin said he is “keenly aware” families are facing significantly higher shopping bills, fuel bills, and everyday costs.

“The Government has been able to help people with once off supports such as energy credits, fuel allowances, and bonus welfare payments, and we will look at measures like energy credits again, and helping families, pensioners, and the most vulnerable in the months ahead.

“This budget will look to ease the tax burden for workers in a progressive way, further building on cuts to the USC in last year’s budget.

“Fianna Fáil is committed to building homes and supporting renters, which remains an absolute priority through measures like extending the renters tax credit,” he said.

“In health, I’d like to see more advances in women’s health — such as extending eligibility for State-funded IVF.

“In education, we are looking to extend the free schoolbooks scheme to Leaving Cert students too.

“In Cork, we’ve seen the benefits of active travel projects in the city and county, and we need to continue to invest in these greenways and public spaces for the benefit of all,” Mr Martin added.

Elsewhere in the Cork South Central constituency, Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire described housing as “the biggest issue” facing the country and said this needed to be a key focus in tomorrow’s budget.

“The Government hasn’t got to grips with it and they keep coming up with schemes that are actually making the situation worse … we need a complete change of direction.

“We need properly affordable housing. We’ve a huge issue in terms of housing maintenance in Cork, so many vacant homes, that needs to be addressed too.

“There’s so much waste in the system and I think people find it frustrating when they see €1.4m being spent on a security hut [at Government Buildings in Dublin] when there’s vacant houses across Cork city,” he said.

“I think it’s also vitally important that we deliver for carers.

“I think there’s so many carers who don’t quality for the full amount of Carer’s Allowance, or they don’t qualify at all even though they’re still on relatively low incomes.

“Clearly, there is an awful lot of pressure on carers. An awful lot of them are struggling financially, but an awful lot of them feel taken for granted as well. The State relies on them enormously and they don’t get the recognition that they deserve,” Mr Ó Laoghaire added.

He said that he would also like to see additional investment in infrastructure to progress major public transport and roads projects.

CORK NORTH CENTRAL

People Before Profit/Solidarity TD Mick Barry, said he would like to see “a massive redistribution of wealth” in the upcoming budget.

“I’d abolish the Universal Social Charge [USC] for everyone earning less than €100,000, and replace it with a millionaires’ tax on the richest 5%,” he said.

“I’d tax the €300bn in untaxed corporate profits and use that wealth to massively boost public services.”

He said he would establish a State construction company focused on building social and affordable housing.

“Of course, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gaels, and the Green Party are not going to ‘go there’,” he said. “That’s why we need a left Government and a fight for a society organised for people, not for profit.”

Fine Gael TD and the minister of state at the Department of Health, Colm Burke, said prudent management of the economy had ensured that the Government had money to put back in people’s pockets and to support services.

“We will continue to do so in this budget,” he said, adding that he hoped to see increased funding for the health service.

“Our population has increased over the past number of years, and we must continue to provide more resources in this area. Similarly, I believe we should provide cost-of-living measures as well as additional supports for older people and young families,” Mr Burke said.

“Finally, it is my view that we should ensure that those on middle or lower incomes pay less tax.”

Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould said housing remained his top priority.

“Increasing the building of social, affordable, and cost-rental homes, while resourcing local authorities to properly tackle housing maintenance and empty council homes, must be key priorities of this budget,” he said.

Increased funding would be essential to ensure Cork has sufficient numbers of gardaí on the beat.

He added that the Government should announce the interim funding to provide therapists in St Killian’s Special School and other special schools.

Issues with water quality and infrastructure also need to be addressed urgently, he said. “I would prefer that, instead of a budget, we had a general election as I have no faith in Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil to deliver on these issues.”

Fianna Fáil’s Pádraig O’Sullivan said his priorities were investment in public services and capital infrastructure. “Fianna Fáil has turned the tide on housing, with the largest numbers of homes being built and bought in a generation under Housing for All,” he said. “However, challenges remain, and times are hard for those struggling to a buy a home or pay rent.”

He listed key infrastructure projects such as the Northern Distributor Rd, the M20 Cork-Limerick Rd, and the Mallow Relief Rd as key priorities. Others include water quality, special education funding, childcare, completing the Glanmire/Glashaboy Flood Relief Scheme by 2026, and advancing the Blackpool Flood Relief Scheme.

“This budget will demonstrate our commitment to tackling the most urgent challenges and ensuring a better future for all,” he said.

CORK SOUTH WEST

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said the Government must invest in critical public services, saying that “to date, this Government has wasted the opportunity to use record surpluses to make lasting positive change in people’s lives”.

“This is their last chance to get it right,” she added.

Ms Cairns said that, instead of a focus on one-off measures, “we need to see core social welfare rates like pensions increase by €25 per week, a new weekly €30 cost of disability payment, and the minimum wage must be increased to €14.”

The Cork TD added: “Children and families must also be a focus — increasing paid Parent’s Benefit to cover the first 12 months of a child’s life, increasing Paternity and Maternity Benefit to €350 per week, and genuinely free education at all levels.”

Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins said his priorities are improving healthcare, addressing the cost-of-living crisis, reducing the Vat rate, and improving roads.

He said that smaller and regional hospitals “do a fantastic job” and said their resources should be increased, which would alleviate pressure on larger hospitals.

He also called for an expansion of the existing surgery reimbursement programme and issuing of medical cards to all cancer patients.

“I want to increase financial support to community employment schemes, expand the public transport commuter scheme, and increase funding for creches,” he said.

Mr Collins also called for Vat rate to be reduced to 9% for tourism and hospitality businesses, and an increase in the roads budget.

Fianna Fáil’s Christopher O’Sullivan told The Echo he would like to see “a clear plan” of how the €14bn Apple tax windfall would be spent on budget day.

“I would love to see it spent on roads and waste-water infrastructure,” he said.

The Cork TD said the N71 and the Bandon Southern Relief Rd need investment, while Shannonvale, Dunmanway, and Rosscarbery need a waste-water treatment upgrade.

“We need to see money being put back into people’s pocket, especially squeezed middle-earners,” through the income tax thresholds and brackets and a reduction in USC, Mr O’Sullivan said.

He added that he also hopes to see support for farming, fishing, small businesses, and hospitality.

CORK NORTH WEST

Fianna Fáil TD Michael Moynihan, when asked about what he felt the voters in the mainly rural Cork constituency would be seeking when the budget is announced tomorrow, said he wants to see that the funding is there for the N20.

The constituency is a sprawling electoral area stretching from Baile Mhúirne in the South-West east through Macroom and as far as Ovens before heading north west then, avoiding Ballincollig — which has been subsumed into Cork North Central — and excluding Mallow, all the way to Charleville.

Towns other than those mentioned include Kanturk, Millstreet, Newmarket, Coachford, and the village of Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh — the last stop before Cork North West becomes Cork South West.

At the last election, three TDs were elected from parties bound for Government: Michael and Aindrias Moynihan of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s Michael Creed, who has declared he won’t be running in the forthcoming poll.

“It’s a national issue, but it affects every single household and family and community in Cork North West,” said Michael Moynihan, who is based in Kiskeam in the Duhallow region.

“We understand there is funding committed for the N20, but we want to see it is there to construct what is one of the major pieces of infrastructure for the South of Ireland,” he said.

“It’s important that there’s adequate funding for disability services, agriculture, and rural communities are considered and thought of in relation to the national budget because they are so important for the future of the country and will grow even more important because of the growing population and people moving to the regions.”

His Fine Gael counterpart, Macroom-based Michael Creed, stressed that his priorities for Budget 2025 were not “constituency specific” but were informed by his experience in Cork North West.

The outgoing TD suggested that the budget announcements should contain a clarification that the overwhelming majority of the €14bn windfall from the Apple tax case should be used to write down the national debt.

“This is the best gift we could give to our citizens, especially our young, who by any international comparison, collectively are saddled with very high levels of debt per capita,” he said.

He called for further measures to help households address the pressures of the cost-of-living, as well a further increase in the proportion of income tax liable for the standard — rather than the higher — rate of tax to “make work pay”.

“I’m also looking for further reforms of the welfare code to address anomalies for the self-employed when it comes to eligibility for benefits, including illness and carers’ benefit,” he said.

The constituency’s Gaeltacht Mhúscraí-based TD, Aindrias Moynihan, also suggested measures to address the cost-of-living and an easing of tax measures to help those on modest incomes together with improvements on services including access to health, housing, education, youth services, and transport.

“I also want to see measures to support rural communities including adequate road and broadband networks,” he said, adding that he also wanted additional funding for the Irish language.

CORK EAST

Addressing the housing crisis, the cost-of-living crisis, and investing in road infrastructure is among the key concerns of TDs in Cork East ahead of tomorrow’s budget.

Sinn Féin TD for Cork East Pat Buckley said that strong measures have to be announced when it comes to the cost-of-living crisis as well as better conditions of pay for the childcare sector.

“Those with mortgages and renters need a break, and I hope they get it. Sinn Féin has a budget proposal to scrap the USC on incomes up to €45,000.

“We need a complete overhaul of the school transport system,” he added.

Mr Buckley said he hopes the Government will not leave behind those with mental health issues, those with disabilities, and pensioners, adding that “the proof will be in the pudding” when the Government puts their budget on the table.

He also called for action to address the boil water notice in Whitegate as well as funding for immediate flood prevention measures in Cork East.

Fianna Fáil TD James O’Connor said it would be a “very big year for Cork” in the budget because of the transport projects.

“The county will be seeing the development of eight new train stations, the M28 project to Ringaskiddy, and what I’m looking for is the funding to commence the next process of the Cork to Limerick motorway and the N25 corridors from Carrigtwohill to Midleton and Midleton to Youghal.

“Cork city and the commuter area is experiencing a rapid growth in housing and in economic investment around our assets in the airport, the ports. Our FDI in the city and county and the infrastructure in Cork is still playing catch-up and this needs attention and money from the Department of Public Expenditure.”

Mr O’Connor said more also needs to be done for pensioners and first-time buyers.

Fine Gael TD David Stanton echoed Mr O’Connor’s comments and said that traffic and the need for attention on road infrastructure are some of the issues that keep coming up in the constituency.

“The N25 from Carrigtwohill to Midleton and Midleton to Youghal all need major upgrading. We also have the road into Cobh that needs major upgrading, as access to Cobh is a concern,” he said.

Looking ahead, Mr Stanton said rising sea levels and flooding is another issue that needs to be tackled, and said he has been working hard to get the flood relief scheme in Midleton started.

Labour Party TD Séan Sherlock also said that securing the funding required to deliver infrastructure projects is vital for Cork East.

Mr Sherlock also said the country is facing a “serious demographic crisis” when it comes to carers in Ireland.

“We might have to, I suggest respectfully, bite the bullet and acknowledge that the abolition of the means test for Carer’s Allowance and other caring payments will have to be something that is priced in for the future budgetary math,” he said.