Budget 2016 has been revealed and with it came a steady stream of reaction on Twitter.
The increase in the hourly minimum wage - up to €9.15 from €8.65 - was widely welcomed, though many criticised that cuts to the jobseeker’s allowance for under-25s were not reversed.
“We are very disappointed with the budget for the 40,000 young jobseekers-no movement at all to reverse savage cuts,” tweeted the National Youth Council of Ireland.
Shocking that dole cuts for under 25s were not reversed despite @labouryouth being so vocal on the issue - #budget16
— Dan O' Neill (@activedan) October 13, 2015Increase in minimum wage - while small - is welcome but legislative change re zero hour contracts & quality of jobs is paramount #budget16
— Social Democrats (@SocDems) October 13, 2015"Teachers educate the citizens of tomorrow," says Howlin. I think he'll find they're also the citizens of today. #budget16
— Una Mullally (@UnaMullally) October 13, 2015Forcing men to spend two weeks at home with a new born baby may have an unintended negative consequence on the birth rate #budget16
— Karl Brophy (@KarlBrophy) October 13, 2015Jaysus! you'd swear there's an Election coming up soon.
#budget16
#michaelnoonan
— Dustin The Turkey (@DustinOfficial) October 13, 2015I welcome the extra €75m for Revenue Commissioners for audit & investigations but perhaps should've been more #budget2016
— Tommy Broughan (@TommyBroughanTD) October 13, 2015Extra 50c on cigs being celebrated by cigarette smugglers across the land. #budget16
— Cllr. Keith Redmond (@DrKeithRedmond) October 13, 2015Single worker in 25k will get 4 euro extra a week, increase of 1.1%. Worker on 70k will get 17 euro a week, up 2%. #progressive? #budget16
— Paul Murphy (@paulmurphyAAA) October 13, 2015"We must ensure that work pays" says Noonan.
Oh so you're scrapping Jobbridge then? Didn't think so. #Budget2016
— Stephanie Lord (@stephie08) October 13, 2015We are very disappointed with the budget for the 40,000 young jobseekers-no movement at all to reverse savage cuts #budget16
— NYCI (@nycinews) October 13, 2015Top priority of this year’s budget is to secure the recovery, while providing relief and better services for the Irish people. #budget16
— Enda Kenny (@EndaKennyTD) October 13, 2015Pensioners looked after but no increase in jobseeker’s allowance for under-25s, which was cut to €100 last year #budget16
— Ruairí McKiernan (@ruairimckiernan) October 13, 2015We're investing in health, education and childcare, because improved public services are essential to a better Ireland. #budget16
— Joan Burton (@joanburton) October 13, 2015Only €17m for homelessness but €50m to celebrate 1916. Even those in the GPO in 1916 must be cringing in embarrassment #budget16
— Keith Mills (@KeithM) October 13, 2015At the rate we're moving there'll be a train to Mars before we see accessible universal healthcare #budget16
— Susan Mitchell (@susmitchellSBP) October 13, 2015Retention of 9% vat rate for hospitality sector very welcome. It works, changing it would be absurd. #budget16
— conor faughnan (@ConorAAIreland) October 13, 2015The retention of the reduced VAT rate for the hospitality sector (9 per cent), was welcomed too, with Conor Faughnan of AA Ireland saying any other decision would have been absurd.
The boost in child benefit was well received, as was the increase in the old age pension.
Other tweets focused on the significance of the measures ahead of the election. On that, Dustin the Turkey gave his two pennies’ worth: “Jaysus! you’d swear there’s an Election coming up soon.”
