Key points from Budget 2020 announced by Minister Paschal Donohoe today

Here are some of the main talking points from today's budget:

• No tax cuts
• Carbon tax is up €6 per tonne and applies from midnight tonight on auto fuels -  other carbon tax changes to other fuels will come into effect in May 2020
• Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions-based charge for cars registering for first time from Jan 1 2020
• Free GP care for children under eight as well as free dental care for children under six by September
• Payment of 100% Christmas bonus to all social welfare recipients
• Jobseekers allowance for 25-year-olds is being increased to the full rate from €157.80 to €203
• €5 increase to the Living Alone Allowance
• One Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker Transition to rise by €15
• €10 increase for Working Family Payment income threshold
• Home carers' credit to be increased by €100
• Earned income tax credit will  be increased by  €150 to €1,500 for self-employed people
• Home carers' credit to be increased by €100
• Earned income tax credit will  be increased by  €150 to €1,500 for self-employed people
• €2bn for rural Ireland Farm restructuring relief  extended to December 2022
• Inheritance tax threshold will increase by €15,000  to €335,000
• Funding for 700 new Gardai
• Funding for 150 new mainstream teaching posts
• Funding for special education to fund over 400 new teachers and over 1,000 special needs assistants

And finally, €1.2bn has been allocated for Brexit.  In case of a no-deal Brexit, €220 million will be  released immediately while a further €650 million has been allocated for agriculture and tourism and €85 million for beef farmers.  

A sobering  €365 million will be provided for additional Social Protection expenditure in the event of a no-deal Brexit and €45 million has been announced to assist people to transition to new work.