Budget 2019 on the Future of Work
The wait is over! Budget 2019 has been announced and we believe that some of the latest updates instill hope for a better #FutureofWork. While some of the outcomes may not be as desired, we are determined to tackle any challenge that comes our way. More to follow 🙂
Key features of #Budget 2019:
- USC on incomes between €19,000 and €70,000 will fall from 4.75% to 4.5%
- Minimum wage will increase to €9.80
- Two weeks paid parental leave to every parent of a child under one year from November 2019, to increase to seven weeks
- Funding for early learning and childcare up 90 million
- The threshold to access the affordable childcare scheme increased- families can earn up to €26,000, while the maximum threshold for the scheme will go from €47,000 to €60,000
- €2.3bn is to go towards a housing programme for next year
- €300 million affordable housing scheme
- New scheme to encourage the uptake of gas propelled commercial vehicles as an alternative to diesel
- €286m made available for a new transport infrastructure including design, planning and implementation of cycling and walking projects around the country
- 4.5% increase on tourism and hospitality VAT bringing it to 13.5
So what impact does #Budget2019 have on our community of #SmartWorkers?
Returning to work made easier
The introduction of the Affordable Childcare Scheme will hopefully ease the financial pressure on young parents looking to return to work. Many families struggle to strike the balance between covering childcare costs and working full time. Many even end up leaving work altogether as the cost of fulltime childcare nearly exceeds weekly income. While SmartWorking positions aim to facilitate parents to work from home or in an office, Budget 2019 childcare schemes will further enable parents to return to work. Paschal Donohoe has proposed funding for early learning and childcare of up to €90 million while the Affordable Childcare scheme has increased. To access the maximum subsidies, families can earn up to €26,000. With better access to childcare, we can continue to build our SmartWorking community and increase diversity.
Rural Regeneration
With an additional 53 million in capital announced for the Rural Regeneration Plan, the government supports us in promoting the development of rural areas to establish economic hubs. With our SmartVillages initiative, we aim to empower rural towns and villages to overcome the digital divide between urban and rural areas. With new government funding, we hope that the government will continue to coincide with us to develop such digital towns to enable new business models to emerge. It is also vital that we focus on improving the energy efficiency of buildings, develop more renewable energy incentives and electric cars. The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme is due to hold a meeting next week and paired with the National Broad brand Plan, we hope to see better connectivity infrastructures put in place to facilitate #SmartWorking.
No Carbon TaxÂ
No increase in carbon tax led to a number of mixed reviews. After Leo’s pre budget hints, we were expecting the levy on diesel to increase to that of petrol over a five year period to produce 70 million in revenue. Only last week, the UN reiterated their statement outlining that we have 12 years to act on improving the environment before it is, ‘too late’. Yet we should not allow the lack of environmental policy discourage us from exhausting our efforts to reduce climate change. By SmartWorking from home, you instantly reduce your commuting time and commuting costs. Less driving, less commuting, less carbon emissions. This in itself is a conscious effort towards improving the environment and the #FutureofWork. One step at a time!
Interested in joining our SmartWorking community ?
Stay tuned for our next exciting announcement tomorrow….
