Dublin: The government signed off on a €1.3bn package of cost-of-living measures, including €200 bonus welfare payments, a €100 child benefit top-up, more generous supports for businesses to tackle energy costs, a 9 per cent VAT rate for the hospitality industry and an extension of the minimum wage.
Child Benefit is topped up in a one-off manner of €100 per child.
Pensioners, carers, disabled and working family payments, lone parents and widows pensioners will receive a €200 payment in April, similar to the Christmas bonus payment as part of the cost of living measures approved by the Cabinet today.
In addition, those receiving the Back to School Clothes and Footwear Allowance will receive an additional €100.
It has also been announced that examination fees for Junior and Leaving Certificates will again be waived. These fees were waived last year also.
This exemption means that students do not have to pay €116 for Living Cert exams and €109 for Junior Cert exams.
Reduced fares will apply for school transport consisting of €50 per student at primary level, €75 per student at post-primary level and €125 per family.
The free hot school meals program is extended to all primary schools with DAYS status, along with all special schools.
Excise duty will be cut by 23 per cent overnight on petrol and 18 per cent on diesel from next week, while excise duty on petrol, diesel and marked gas oil will be restored in a phased manner in three phases over the next eight months.
On June 1, the rates will be restored to 6 percent for petrol, 5 percent for diesel and 1 percent for marked gas oil.
These rates will increase by 7 percent for petrol, 5 percent for diesel, and 1 percent for marked gas on September 1.
On October 31, petrol will be hiked by 8 per cent, diesel by 6 per cent and market gas oil by 3 per cent.
Today's announcement comes as several one-off measures introduced with Budget 2023 expire later this month.
This includes a final €200 payment due in March, a 9% VAT rate on hospitality, electricity and gas bills and an energy credit scheme for households, along with the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS).
Varadkar confirmed today that TBESS is "expanding and improving". The scheme will be extended till May 31.
The eligibility threshold will be reduced from 50% increase in electricity or gas cost to 30% increase. It will be backdated to September 1, 2022.
Announcing the new measures today, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said: "This helps businesses with their energy and gas costs. They will be eligible for more financial aid, which will be backdated to September.
Government has sanctioned a grant scheme for LPG and kerosene.
The 9% VAT rate for hospitality and tourism will continue till August 31, but this will be the last extension.
There will be no more energy credits for the summer, but the already agreed March credit of €200 will go ahead.
Varadkar said there could be more electricity credit but any confirmation would be closer to Budget 2024
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