The cost of living crisis means many people throughout Ireland will be looking towards Budget 2023 to provide them with some much needed relief.
But just what can people expect?
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said there is a need for additional supports for middle-income earners. These would include a substantial welfare package, greater childcare supports, and a reduced tax burden.
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The Fine Gael leader was speaking at the National Economic Dialogue in Dublin, where interest groups met to discuss the upcoming Budget.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin told those in attendance that while the Government prepares for the Budget, it would maintain a targeted response to inflation.
However, he added that while the Government will continue to help, it cannot mitigate the entire burden of inflation.
Mr Varadkar agreed with the Taoiseach that chasing inflation does not work, as he warned that the current spike in inflation is not temporary and could go on for years.
He said it is widely agreed that "the focus of Budget 2023 must be the cost-of-living crisis".
Mr Varadkar said as part of an anti-inflation strategy, the Government can reduce the income tax burden on workers and middle-income families by indexing tax credits and bands.
He also said he would be in favour of increased subsidies for childcare to reduce costs for parents, saying "investing in childcare makes sense now and for the long-term".
The Tanaiste said that all three parties in Government are determined to make a move on the cost of childcare as Minister for Children Roderic O'Gorman develops options.
He said over the coming months, further work will be done to see what to do, how much it will cost and how soon it can be done.
Mr Varadkar also said that Budget 2023 would have a substantial welfare and pension package, more significant than that announced in last year's Budget.
The Taoiseach was asked if any interventions to combat the cost of living crisis would be made before October, but he responded by saying chasing inflation does not work and that he doesn't want to see a repeat of the mistakes made in the 1970s.
He said: "We want to do this in a detailed, evidence-based way, doing significant work and look at how we bring costs down, and the forthcoming Budget will be a cost-of-living budget.
"What we do has to be comprehensive, and it has to be sustainable over a longer period of time than just going from a month-to-month situation."
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