I’M RELIEVED... IT’S A MASSIVE WIN FOR FAMILIES HEADING INTO THE WINTER
ONE-PARENT families are feeling relieved following Budget 2023, which saw several measures introduced to ease their worries about the rising cost of living. Parents will see childcare costs slashed by 25%, receive free schoolbooks for children in primary school and be given a double payment of the monthly Child Benefit. Linda O’Sullivan, a mother in a one-parent family, expressed her relief at the measures after campaigning for months. ’I feel a lot of relief because I didn’t think they’d do what they have done,’ she said. ‘There’s always more they can do, but I don’t think we were expecting to see as much as we’ve seen today. Especially in terms of welfare payment.’
The winter period of uncertainty now seems brighter for the special needs assistant, her 12-year-old daughter and six-yearold son. She said: ‘Childcare fees are crippling every family but in particular one-parent families. That was a huge boost, I didn’t think we’d get anything as significant as 25%. That’s going to make a huge difference to my family.
‘Even when there are two incomes, they’re struggling. It’s like paying another mortgage. This is a massive win for Irish families heading into winter.’
Regarding the double Child Benefit payment, Ms O’Sullivan believes it’s going to ‘somewhat ease the pressure’ of the festive season.
She said: ‘To get that just before Christmas and to deal with winter energy prices, that’s going to be a huge help to my family.’
Prior to schools starting several weeks ago, Ms O’Sullivan had spoken to this paper about the need for students in Irish education to receive free schoolbooks. ‘If we see it brought in for secondary school students, then we’ll really be happy,’ the 34-year-old said.
Still, Ms O’Sullivan fears what’s going to happen in January and wonders if ‘people will be back to square one’. Emphasising that she’s ‘grateful’ for the financial and morale boost, Ms O’Sullivan also said she hopes future budgets will see more specific measures for one-parent families.