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The economy is growing and unemployment is falling. The firstphaseof the recovery is complete and we are now starting the second:restoring living standards for families, older people, and low andmiddle-income workers.

The last few years have been difficult as the economic recovery beginsto take hold it is important that the fruits of that recovery are sharedin an equitable manner.

That is why under Budget 2015, we are delivering a package ofmeasures that primarily benefit low and middle income earners,working families and vulnerable groups.

Labour has ensured this through reduced taxes for middle and low-income workers and targeted increases for a number of key supports,such as Child Benefit and the Living Alone Allowance. We are alsoensuring significant investment in key public services includinghousing, education and health.

In Budget 2015, investment in the building of new family homes is a priority:

� €3.8 billion has been allocated for housing provision under an unprecedented multi-annual plan.

� In 2015 alone, over €800 million has been allocated for the housing programme– thefirst major investment in housing since 2009 and a 40% increase in spending on 2014levels.

� This dramatically increased investment will deliver 7,500 family homes in 2015 and atotal of 40,000 family homes by 2020.

� Spending on homelessness services will increase by over 20% to €55 million.

€3.8 BILLION HOUSING INVESTMENT

SPRING UPDATE2015

A MESSAGE FROM PAT RABBITTE TD

PAT RABBITTE TD01 618 3772pat.rabbitte@oir.ie

PAT RABBITTE TD01 618 3772pat.rabbitte@oir.ie

EAMONN MALONEY TD01 618 4833eamonn.maloney@oir.ie

EAMONN MALONEY TD01 618 4833eamonn.maloney@oir.ie

CLLR PAMELA KEARNS087 7756718pkearns@cllr.sdublincoco.ie

CLLR PAMELA KEARNS087 7756718pkearns@cllr.sdublincoco.ie

Working with

Working with

Your local Labour team

Delivering for Dublin South-West

Pat Rabbitte, T.D. & Eamonn Maloney, T.D. have been working with Cllr Pamela Kearns toensure that, as the recovery takes hold, residents begin to see an increase in livingstandards.

On a national level:

� Christmas Bonus restored – a 25% Christmas bonus was paid to social welfarerecipients in December.

� Child Benefit - €5 increase in 2015 and another €5 increase proposed for 2016

� Living Alone Allowance increased to €9 per week.

� Ending the pension levy – the pension levy of 0.6% has been abolished in 2014and the additional 0.15% levy will end this year.

� Free GP Care for Over 70s – by the end of the year 2.1million people or half thepopulation will have access to free GP care.

� Seniors Alert Scheme - €46m is being invested in the Social and CommunityActivation Programme (SICAP) and a further €45m for LEADER. This includesfurther funding for Seniors’ Alert, which supports the provision of monitoredalarm systems for elderly residents of limited means, to continue to live securelyin their homes with confidence.

� Tax reductions for low and middle income earners, with effect from January 1,2015.

On a local level, Labour and our colleagues on the South DublinCounty Council governing alliance have devised a progressive budgetto ensure:

� A 15% reduction in local property tax for residents in the South Dublin Countyarea.

� That no property tax is payable by Council tenants.

� The blocking of a €1.3m rise in rents for local authority tenants.

� €900m additional funding for homeless services – an increase of some 150%

� Almost €1.1m in funding to replace doors and windows for some of our mostvulnerable residents.

� €950,000 in grants are made available to support small businesses in the county.

� €200,000 for hot school meals for 6,500 students are available.

� €150,000 in community grants are provided.

� Weekly payment rates to carers maintained in Budget 2015, and full time carers in receipt of

another welfare payment are still eligible for half rate Carer’s Allowance.

� The Annual Respite Care Grant has been kept at €1,325 for 2015.

� Carers who live with the person they care for continue to be eligible for the Household benefits

package and free travel pass. The payment is not taken into account in the assessment for amedical card.

PROTECTING OLDER PEOPLE

There will be no change in the rates of the weekly state pensions or other payments for those aged over66 such as the fuel allowance, free travel and TV allowance.

STATE PENSION (CONTRIBUTORY) RATES – the full breakdown of personal rates applicable to youryearly average PRSI contributions is available on www.welfare.ie or from any Citizens InformationOffice.

FUEL ALLOWANCE – continues to be paid at a weekly rate of €20 for 26 weeks (6 months). Fuel Seasonfor 2014/15 will end on 6th April 2015.

HOUSEHOLD BENEFITS PACKAGE - The Household Package Electricity/Gas Allowance and theeligibility for a free TV Licence remain unchanged.

JOBSEEKERS BENEFIT 2014 2015

Personal Rate* €188 €188

STATE PENSION (CONTRIBUTORY) 2014 2015

Under age 80* €230.30 €230.30Aged 80 and over €240.30 €240.30STATE PENSION (NON-CONTRIBUTORY) Weekly Personal Rate

Under age 80* €219.00 €219.00Aged 80 and over €229.00 €229.00Other Social Insurance and Assistance payments for widows, widowers, surviving civil partners,deserted wife’s benefit and the blind pension are unchanged.

*There was no change on the applicable qualified adult or child rates

CARER’S BENEFIT (PRSI based) 2014 2015

Caring for 1 person up to 2 years €205 €205CARER’S ALLOWANCE (Means tested) Maximum weekly rate

Under 66, caring for 1 person €204 €204Under 66, caring for 2 or more €306 €30666 or over, caring for 1 person €239 €239Aged 80 and over €358.50 €358.50Half-Rate Carer’s Allowance paid at 50% of above rates.

There was no change on the applicable qualified adult or child rates.

JOBSEEKERS ALLOWANCE Maximum Weekly Rate

26 years or over* €188 €18825 years of age €144 €14418-24 years of age €100 €100*No Change on increase for qualified adult (€124.80) or qualified child (€29.80)

CARER’S ALLOWANCE PROTECTED

TAX RELIEF FOR LOW AND MIDDLEINCOME EARNERSUnder Budget 2015, an extremely progressive tax package has been secured that focuses the reliefon those who most need it - low and middle-income workers. Tax is being reduced for low andmiddle-income earners to ensure that those at work take home more and begin to benefit from therecovery.

This is a significant step forward in targeting reliefs at low and middle income earners and ensuringthat, proportionately, they gain the most. The changes are outlined in the tables below.

Niall and Sarah are married with three children,Rachel, Kevin and George, who are aged 8, 10 and 12years. Niall is a nurse and Sarah is a Garda. They bothjoined the Public Sector in 1999. They earn €55,000and €50,000, respectively. The family will see a gain of€1,204 in their annual net income due to this Budget.

Paddy and Ina are a retired couple. Ina is aged 69 and Paddy isaged 71. Paddy has a Contributory State Pension (€22,703),which includes an adult dependent allowance in respect of Ina,and an occupational pension of €50,000 per annum. The couplewill see a gain of €798 in their annual net income due to thisBudget.

Michael is a single parent and is theprimary carer of his daughter, Sophieaged 2. He is employed full time asretail store manager earning €40,000per annum. Michael will see a gain of€466 in his annual net income due tothis Budget.

Reduced rates of USC apply to

� People aged over 70 with an income of €60,000 or less (excluding Department of SocialProtection payments) per year.

� People aged under 70 who hold a medical card and whose income is €60,000 or less (excludingDepartment of Social Protection payments) per year.

Income band USC rate

Up to €10,036 2%

Between €10,036 4%and €16,016Above €16,016 7%

2015 Rates Income band

1.5% Up to €12, 0123.5% All income over €12,012

Income band USC rate

Up to €12,012 1.5%

Between €12,012 and €17,576 3.5%

Between €17,576 and €70,044 7%

Above €70,044 8%

UNIVERSAL SOCIAL CHARGESTANDARD RATE

REDUCED RATE

Single person

One parent family

Married couple/civil partners, oneincome

Married couple/civil partners, twoincomes

2014

20%

€32,800

€36,800

€41,800

€41,800 @ 20% withincrease of €23,800maximum

41%

Balance

Balance

Balance

Balance

2015

20%

€33,800

€37,800

€42,800

€42,800 @ 20%with increase of€24,800 maximum

40%

Balance

Balance

Balance

Balance

2014 2015

The Back to Work Family Dividend is a new incentive under Budget 2015 to help jobseekers withfamilies return to work, while retaining the child-related portion of their social welfare paymenton a tapered basis over two years.

This includes those who move to self-employment, such as back into the construction sector, andthose on One Parent Family Payment. The scheme will be worth €1,550 per child in the first year ofemployment or self-employment and half that amount again in the second year.

BACK TO WORK FAMILY DIVIDEND21%PAID BY THETOP 1%

OFTAX

OF EARNERS

44%PAID BY THETOP 6%

OFTAX

OF EARNERS

80%PAID BY THETOP 24%

OFTAX

OF EARNERS

EXAMPLE 1 EXAMPLE 2

EXAMPLE 3

New claimants with 260 or more contributions will be paid Jobseekers Benefit for 9 months. Thosewith less than 260 contributions will be eligible for 6 months payment. The means test for JobseekersAllowance has not been changed.

HOW TAX CHANGES WILL HELP YOU

SOCIAL WELFARE

TAX & USC

CORE WEEKLY PAYMENTS PROTECTED AGAIN

STATE PENSION PROTECTED

CHILD BENEFIT INCREASED

LIVING ALONE ALLOWANCE INCREASEThe Living Alone Allowance will increase by €1.30 per week, bringing the rate up from €7.70 to €9.This is the first increase in this payment since 1996, and will benefit over 177,000 people. Thisincrease will provide for a greater level of income adequacy for both pensioners and people withdisabilities living alone.

PROGRESSIVE INCOME TAX & USC SYSTEM

What are the new rates of Child Benefit?From January 1st 2015, families will be entitled to the following new rates of Child Benefit:

Number of Children 2015 Monthly Rate 2015 Annual rate Yearly Increase from 2014

1 child €135.00 €1,620.00 €60.00

2 children €270.00 €3,240.00 €120.00

3 children €405.00 €4,860.00 €180.00

4 children €540.00 €6,480.00 €240.00

5 children €675.00 €8,100.00 €300.00

6 children €810.00 €9,720.00 €360.00

In Budget 2015, for the first time in many years there will be an increase in spending of €200 million oftargeted increases in certain payments, and new incentives to help people back to work. It also meansthat we have been able to protect the core weekly rates of payment once again.