Budget 2022
Budget 2022, to be unveiled at lunchtime today, is expected to amount to about €4.7 billion.
The focus will be on addressing rising cost-of-living pressures, as well as housing, childcare and climate action, however, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has warned that there will not be “something for everyone in the audience”.
Mr Martin said today's Budget is framed around Ireland emerging from the Covid pandemic.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, on his way into Government Buildings, said that the budget would offer “a lot of help with the cost of living”. While some changes might not appear significant, they would all add up.
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe and Minister for Public Expenditure Michael McGrath will deliver their speeches in the Dáil chamber at 1pm.
Gardaí continue search for missing women
Detectives investigating the disappearance of Deirdre Jacob are searching a new area following reports of “unusual activity” in woodland the evening she went missing.
A fresh search of an isolated part of Co Kildare is currently under way as part of the investigation into the murders of Ms Jacob and Jo Jo Dollard.
Meanwhile, JoJo Dullard's sister, Kathleen Bergin has said she is hopeful the new search launched by the gardaí will bring answers for the families of missing women.
Difficulties over Northern Ireland Protocol
Brexit minister Lord Frost is to set out Britain’s demands for changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol amid a stand-off with the EU over the role of the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
In a speech to the diplomatic community in Lisbon on Tuesday, Lord Frost will warn the protocol cannot survive without fundamental reform to governance arrangements.
But even before he delivered his address, he was accused by the Irish Government of creating a “red line” barrier to progress in resolving the dispute over post-Brexit trading arrangements.
Lord Frost’s speech comes a day before the EU is due to produce its plans to resolve issues with the protocol, which has led to the creation of economic barriers between the North and Britain.
