Advocacy Talks with Vision Ireland
Welcome to Advocacy Talks from Vision Ireland. Hosted by Madeleine McNamara, Advocacy Talks aims to bring you conversations with interesting people about blindness, advocacy, and everything in between.
Contact the advocacy team at Vision Ireland by emailing campaigns@VI.ie .
Advocacy Talks with Vision Ireland
Advocacy Talks Episode 9 - Budget 2026
On this episode of Advocacy Talks, Jamie Millar tells us about budget 2026.
From social welfare payments to the cost of disability, here’s everything you need to know.
Welcome to Advocacy Talks, a podcast from the Advocacy Team at Vision Ireland. Here's what's coming up on this episode.
SPEAKER_01:The cost of disability is one that uh you know a lot of people are are there's a lot of anger about that and a lot of disappointment um across the the community and a lot of people um will have known that uh you know it was in the programme for government that it would be it would be introduced over the lifetime of the government. So that's a that's a five-year, a five-year time frame, but people can't wait five years for a cost of disability payment.
SPEAKER_02:And now here's Madeline McNamara Hello everybody, and you're so welcome to Advocacy Talks. Um thank you so much for tuning in, we really do appreciate it. You may remember that in our last podcast I spoke to Sean Moyles from Vision Sports Island, and he told us about his fascinating research that he's currently doing into the physical literacy of people with acquired sight loss. So if you haven't already, please do check out his survey, which is on the visionsports.ie website. I know he would really appreciate your help with that. So today we're going to be talking about something which affects absolutely everybody in Ireland, uh, and that is Budget 2026. So to help me discuss that very uh important topic, I'm joined by my colleague and teammate, Jamie Miller, who is the policy officer for Vision Island. So, Jamie, thank you so much for coming on to Advocacy Talks today.
SPEAKER_01:Thanks, Mandel. Happy to be here.
SPEAKER_02:Very good. We're delighted to have you. And because you're the expert in all things in all things budget, so um we we couldn't do it without you. And uh so so I guess we just might jump straight in and and sort of see if you can kind of outline for us what would be the the major takeaways from the budget that would, I guess, have a an impact or affect people who are blind of vision impaired.
SPEAKER_01:Sure, yeah. So I suppose to put it in some context, I guess the budget we hear all every year about the budget, but it's it's a very small proportion of I guess what the government actually uh spends and how much it it takes to to run the country. It's cost about 120 billion to to to run the coun country each year. Um and you know, there's always a kind of leftover uh amount after after everyone the you know the state gets tax receipts um and there's some flexibility each year um to add in new measures beyond you know maintaining the like existing services and the existing services that exist. So this year that's just nine billion of that 120 billion, um and it's usually uh thereabouts that that amount. So that's the the kind of the budget package that you hear about for new tax and and spending changes. So it's all about things that the government will will do differently each year. So I suppose this year's um this year's budget, if we look back to last year's, you know, it was a lot different. You might remember. I mean they had about eight billion to spend last year, and you know, there's two billion of that was on on these cost of living one-off measures. So everyone was um getting all these with these one off uh one-off payments, um, which were we went down quite nicely with the uh with all the voters just before the uh the election. And I think another two billion was on on you know cutting uh taxes and income tax cuts. So that was uh that that's a lot different to what we saw this year. So budget 2026 was was quite a quite a pivot. So there was no kind of went from sort of household supports to a lot of kind of investment and uh business supports, you know, capital spending, all the uh all the important stuff, but but stuff that doesn't uh isn't really as popular, and obviously there was uh a lot a lot of disappointment um last week. So there was there was no income tax cuts and there was no uh none of these cost of living measures that we saw um really. I suppose the the the the main piece was probably the the VAT the VAT cuts. That was kind of the headline measures for hospitality and and the construction sector.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. Yeah. So I mean we did see some modest sort of increases, if you like, for the people in terms of um increases on the weekly um social welfare payments, wasn't it? 10 euro a week for those?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah, there was definitely some some positives on the social welfare changes, but they're very very modest uh changes altogether. So the I mean the positives would be there's quite a good increase in what's called the cut the increase for a qualified child, so any kind of welfare payments you you're receiving if you have a a dependent child, then that money goes up. So that was actually quite a quite a significant increase, and I think it was more than some advocacy groups that had actually called for, so that was positive.
SPEAKER_02:Um obviously we welcome the So is that on top of because I was I was saying that so say the um the disability allowance or or um blind pension is gone up what to two hundred and what two hundred and fifty-four, is it? And then is that child thing on top of that? So if you had a dependent child.
SPEAKER_01:All the core rates went up ten euro. Um and then if you have a child, um you know your increase is already uh a certain amount, but it's increased by a further I think eight euro if they're under twelve and over twelve is a different amount, which is sixteen, I think, euro, wasn't it? So that's gone up uh a good amount, so that would be that would be good. There are some other other things that that we could welcome. You know, the carers allowance changes to that as well. The minimum wage went up. These are all good things, but probably not in the uh to the extent that that's required.
SPEAKER_02:But yeah, a bit of an increase in the fuel allowance, but I don't think it was it kind of changed from a one-off. I think last year there was a 300 euro extra payment, whereas this year it's gonna have been a five euro.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so the net increase the net result there is that there's there's gonna be less in terms of the the fuel lens. But the eligibility was was widened a little bit and there's a kind of a useful change where disability allowance and blind pension if you go enter the workforce and and go off those payments that you'll now retain your fuel allowance for five years. So that's uh that's you know the that's a big problem around you know, losing people are worried about losing their sort of secondary benefits, you know, medical card, free travel pass, and fuel allowance. So that's a start with kind of decoupling those because that's that's been a big problem for a long time.
SPEAKER_02:Absolutely. It really is a problem if you do want to get back into work, but you don't want to lose this benefit. So you will see, you know, so now you keep your fuel allowance for five years, you keep your obviously your free travel pass because that's not income dependent anymore uh for people with blind vision impaired. And and the medical card, what's the situation for that?
SPEAKER_01:There was no changes. I'm not sure what the situation is with the medical card. There's certain payments I think you might retain it for two years, but don't quote me on that. There was no change anyway in the budget.
SPEAKER_02:Because it's very much income dependent, isn't it? So I guess it maybe depends on what level of employment you'll go into, maybe. I don't know. Don't know on that one. But yeah. Yeah, so some, as you say, some increases, but it was certainly very disappointing that there was nothing in terms of a specific payment to um deal with the cost of disability.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, no, it's a lot easier to there's a lot more to say about what wasn't there, I suppose, in the in the budget in terms of of social welfare. There obviously there's that 10 euro increase to all the core rates, so your buying pension disability loans will go up 10 euro, but that's that's really an inadequate increase for for what's needed. There's really nothing for um you know low or or middle income workers at all, really. No kind of targeted action for you know people with disabilities, you know, households in poverty, children with poverty. There's um that was quite uh quite disappointing, I suppose. The cost of disability is one that's uh you know a lot of people are are there's a lot of anger about that and a lot of disappointment um across the the community and a lot of people um will have known that uh you know it was in the programme for government that it would be it would be introduced over the lifetime of the government. So that's a that's a five year a five year time frame, but people can't wait five years for a a cost of disability payment because uh you know a lot of people are are are struggling with the you know the extra costs that are that come with with site loss and then any other um any other kind of impairment and it it's not not fair that that that should be borne you know by by them alone. So the state needs to needs to do something there, but it's been it's been put off really for for another year at least, unfortunately, which is is very disappointing.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and we were kind of hopeful that it would happen because as you they just launched their you know the national strategy, the sorry, I'm g I'm I'm I'm messing up the title, the human rights strategy for personal people with disabilities, or for disabled people, we've got to get the term right. Um and and you know, that outlined the the commitment even in that for cost of disability. So, you know, it was hoped that because of that launch so close to budget that we might see something. So who knows what the thought process is there?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, no, it was disappointing, especially with the timing of that. I don't think it really matched the uh the words that were used in the in in the launch of that strategy. We didn't see that anyway last uh last Tuch chair on budget day.
SPEAKER_02:No, no. I mean uh we did though see, you know, big increases in spending on um services, so to departmental spending. So do we know any more about that, you know, in terms of what that might go towards in terms of the the budgets to the various dis um departments that would, I guess, impact people?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I suppose, yeah, there's there's definitely it's fair to say there's been an increase, I suppose, in the in the Department of You know, Children Disabilities allocation. So that is that's obviously positive. And then for disability services in specific specifically, um there's a 20% increase on the funding that they got um last year. So I suppose in the in the government's eyes, that's sort of the it's marks the kind of change in like the step change that they've been talking about in disability services. Um but it is focused on you know very specialist services. So you know, majority of the money is going to go on uh residential facilities and um also on on respite. So there's I think 1400 new day services places. Obviously, that's a that's a big gonna take a big chunk, um, but that's a that's obviously very um very positive. Um a lot more extra you know, respite day sessions and and night sessions, additional PA and and home support hours and I think that's hiring of new staff for the the C D N Ts.
SPEAKER_02:But um And that is something that will hopefully maybe have a positive impact for for our service users because it is something that you know people are calling crying out for really is increased access to you know personal assistance um services in particular.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, definitely there's a massive uh unmet need um there in terms of um PumpSport and and and the PA as well. And obviously we have our day services as well, so there's yeah, that'll that'll that'll filter on down, but we'll see. There's more detail to be to be worked out.
SPEAKER_02:I I saw as well there was increased spending on, you know, additional posts in terms of say for special needs assistance in schools increase in in numbers and you know there, which I think is positive, you know, for people that do have children with disabilities, so that's that is something that's good. Um but yeah, as you say, we we don't know the full details yet of where all the additional spending will be spent. Um transport, hopefully, would be good. Yeah, but I but I don't know whether there's any maybe I don't know whether there's new spending or whether it's just fulfilling commitments already made. You know, in terms of there is increased rollouts in terms of local link services, that's bus services for rural island. Obviously, the Metrolink was just um got through its approval. Um so yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, Metrolink will take a bit of that, but I suppose yeah no, there was an additional two billion more than there was last year in this budget on infrastructure. So that is going to be a lot of transport um also on on energy and facilities and and housing as well, but there will be a lot on transport, but uh we'll we'll see how they'll see how that goes. Obviously there's there's a lot of um poor provision in in rural Ireland specifically. So we're hoping we're hopeful that uh there'll be some changes there.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and I guess just going now to maybe to our submission, you know, it's a huge sort of project for you. It's one of the big sort of things during during the the life of a policy officer would be the budget submission every year. Um, you know, and what were kind of our key asks and and did we have any success really in getting what we wanted or not?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, no, it is a big part of my my work, I suppose each summer takes up a lot of uh a lot of the summer. So the pre-budget submission supposes our kind of attempt for for Vision Arden to influence um the budget. Um budget is all about choices, as Pascal Dunning is always uh very fond of saying. So um it is about making that the making sure that the choices that are made are ones that benefit people um who are blind origin impaired as much as possible. So that's um that's the kind of basis for our pre-production submission. So this year it was 14 different asks or you know recommendations or requests for for to various departments to implement. Um so on the social protection, that was the cost of disability was the main one which I mentioned, so that's why we're very disappointed, along with every other disability group and every other advocate um out there. So we were requesting you know a payment of of at least 55 euro per week as a start. Um we're also requesting an increase for all of the so all social welfare payments increased by 16 euro. Um it was only 10 euro, which uh wasn't enough um at all either. Um and there was the blind tax credit as a usual kind of uh mainstay of our budget submissions that there would be an increase that year. So we we did have an increase in that last year, so that it was successful, and we were happy about that. That went up from um 1650 to 1950, and that was long overdue, so that was a big win. But as we know this year um there was no changes at all to um tax credits or the tax bans uh for anybody, uh let alone the uh the blind tax credit. So there was no success on on that one.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. Yeah. And and just to be clear, that that's for people who are it are in employment who can get an additional tax credit uh if they're blind division impaired. Um uh, you know, so that that is definitely something that's very, very useful to have. But yeah, so overall, but I mean, yeah, not great for anybody. And I we weren't uh we weren't as you say the lack of success was was not just for us, it was across the disability sector. So, you know, it wasn't any reflection on anything that that we did, it was just the way the government chose to to go this year. Um, but in terms of just maybe letting people know what's involved in your the pre-budget submission, you know, when do you kind of start the work on it? Because obviously the budget's October, and when when do you have to start the the preparations for that and and what's involved?
SPEAKER_01:I suppose it's better to get in as as early as possible, really. So um probably around May, um you know, we'd send out um the biggest part in the in the process in terms of preparing is is is you know talking to our service users and and advocates and people that we we work with. So we'd put out quite a large you know um survey to try to reach as many as possible, um, asking people you know to just help us decide what we should prioritize in the submission, um, you know, what do they want a government to do in in each area, you know, whether that's transport, health, um any any kind of uh department. So this year I think we got a very good um good take up. We had 560 total uh suggestions that were in there in all our classes. So yeah, so it's uh there's a process there obviously in in terms of um you know parsing through that and trying to see uh you know what crops up um you know the same the same ideas from from from from different people, you know, time and again. Um you know, this trying to identify you know what's what's realistic. Some things will be a an unsurgist on you know feasibility or or politically, you know, not as palpable or or palatable. Um so it's difficult to prioritize, and obviously we can't put 560, um so we have to limit it kind of to around 20. It's not really one of those things where throw the kitchen sink at it, it's it's better to to it's more uh easier for us to be able to you know prioritize um certain ones and really campaign on those individually and and contact as many people, whoever will listen, the policymakers and decision makers, on on each of those kind of key asks.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, because you have to find ways of justifying those. So you mean the submission is backed up by kind of evidence, isn't it? And you know, data that you've gathered I suppose is a big part of it, kind of laying out where the deficiencies in funding or services are. So that's it. Exactly.
SPEAKER_01:It all comes down to money. So yeah, at the end of the day, um yeah, each of the asks will be you know connected to a cost. So we'll say you should do this and it'll cost this amount. Um that kind of does the does the work for them in terms of those calculations, but obviously um they need to be money is is is what it comes down to. So calculations have to be made there.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you've got to be good at maths, Jamie. And good and good at and very good at putting in um nice diagrams into your submission. I I was very impressed that you have you're very good at putting like a map in with kind of figures in the various locations, say whether that's for you know personal assistance services or you know, things like that. It really outlines the sort of deficits in in the different areas and stuff like that, which I think is really good. Uh you know, I know maybe people who who who can't see either though those tools aren't obviously necessarily useful, but but visually they they really do, I think, make a strong statement um to be able to look at that and see and see what's going on. So that that's fantastic, you know.
SPEAKER_01:Politics is local, as they say.
SPEAKER_02:Yes, absolutely, absolutely. Uh it it certainly seems to be. Um so yeah, I mean I I think disappointing overall, but you know, got our best foot forward on it, and hopefully next year we will be able to have a bit more success if the the government in its to its second budget of this term, you know, is it really does need to step up to the plate in terms of the cost of disability in particular, I think.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, exactly. It's the first it's the first budget of of five for this government. So you know there is a hope that they'll uh you know, this is the year that they'd make maybe less, you know, electorally um, you know, uh appreciated uh choices, you know, in terms of investment into kind of long-term, you know, capital spending. So if there's any year to do it, it's probably this year. Um if they're looking at the long term. So you know, hop hopefully that that might have been uh what was at at play to some extent and we'll see um you know we'll continue advocating uh thro throughout the lifetime of of of this government and hopefully we'll see some a lot better um next year because people deserve a lot better than than that.
SPEAKER_02:I hope so, absolutely. Well, I just thought it might be nice to to kind of talk a little bit uh to you and find out about you because you're fairly new to Vision Island. Well, you've been here over a year now. Um so was it June or July last year that you started?
SPEAKER_01:It was uh June, yeah, the start of June, so not too long really uh in the ground scheme.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and and you and I think um uh a policy officer is often kind of a bit hidden from service users because you're there in the background putting together all these you know documents, collecting the data and doing the research and and putting you know forward um in submissions. So that would be a bit nice to to find out a bit more about what your role is. And obviously the pre-budget is a big part, but kind of do you kind of give us any idea of any other kind of things that you'd be involved in?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, sure. I suppose in in a nutshell, it's you know my job is is identifying you know any opportunities um where you know we can inform on on the development of of policy and and services and also influence that and and like I said, choices, it's all about choices. So trying to influence you know the policymakers or the politicians and uh governments to you know make choices that are are you know maximizing um you know the participation of of people who are blind to vegetable head in in in society, that's you know the Vision Ireland's end goal. Um so you know seizing those opportunities wherever they they might crop up. So I suppose a lot of it is kind of monitoring um politics and and policy and monitoring the developments um that are going on because um you know site loss affects every um every you know area of of it's not just one department that's affected, so you kind of have to have a a good a good um good kind of awareness of what's going on, you know, whether that's legislation or changes and keeping an eye on things and if things are moving in the wrong direction, you know, pushing back and and advocating. So I suppose the budget process like I spoke about there is uh the pre-budget is is a long you know, that's a that's a major element, I suppose, uh in terms of the summer. Um thinking back to to last year, there were um quite you know substantial processes in terms of the around the time of the election, um going out and and communicating, putting communications out to you know our advocates to these are when they get doorstep, you know, these are the sort of things that you want to raise, these are the issues.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Um and then of course straight after the election, it's you know, forming a government um and um you know agreeing on a programme for government. So that was another opportunity, you know, for us to um get things on on politicians radar and say, you know, we need this included in the program for government, this is what matters to us, so there's there's always opportunities like that, you know, there's there's regular submissions as well. Any then the uh the government will will introduce a new strategy, a new policy, or they're planning on developing something or planning on changing, making a change to a service. Thankfully, you know, this this wasn't always the way in in public policy, but thankfully there's there's consultations now with the public and particularly with you know people with uh they've experienced disabilities and and disability groups. Um, you know, getting better they could be um could be better, but things are improving that way. So thankfully there's opportunities for for us to inform, to uh you know, be a part of that, make submissions, written submissions, attend, you know, consultation events, roundtables with with all the different stakeholders and make engagements, um, whatever that way. So that's that's a lot of um a lot of my my role as well in the day-to-day.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and I and I think we have the the United the UNCPRD, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities to thank for a lot of that in terms of the requirement now on government to engage with you know people with lived experience and you know people with disabilities in in its policy form formation.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, exactly. No, there's an obligation there to engage directly and and consult and you know co-participation, co-design, those are all the um that's the the order of order of the day. So yeah, it's it's very positive.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:It is very it is very positive and there's always more to do. And you know, it's as you say, your job sort of encompasses everything, you know, the whole of government and all of the various things. So keeping abreast of of what's going on. Watching lots of Eroctus things, I imagine, and some some less interesting than others, but yeah, keeping uh keeping an eye on it all. Yes, because here you were at the Eroctus uh recently. Was that last night you were there?
SPEAKER_01:Uh yes, at the the time we're speaking now, yeah. I was there last night just um in relation to cost of disability. Obviously, as I said, there's a lot of disappointment around uh the lack of an introduction of a cost of disability payment. Um so there was an opposition um Sinn Fein introduced uh uh a private member's bill, so uh an opposition motion um you know to call on the government to introduce that payment, you know, as soon as possible and and certainly by by January as an interim measure. Um now it wasn't um it wasn't supported by government, but it wasn't opposed um by it, obviously, you know, uh with the uh arithmetic of of the rockets, you know, it's not uh opposition bills won't um won't generally uh won't generally be be carried. But um obviously there is a understanding um they didn't oppose it, so there is an understanding that um you know something something does need to be done on this on this soon, so we're gonna keep on putting the pressure on, and that was what um the uh that that was part of the purpose of of of last night, to um, you know, put the pressure on over over the the the the next few months, particularly over over winter.
SPEAKER_02:Oh fantastic. Well it's great to to have you know obviously he's you know very passionate about it and putting in a lot of hard work there and uh you know these things are a long process. There's no easy fix, is there? You know, it's it is it is challenging. So, you know, we we really do appreciate all the all the work that you're you're doing. So thank you so much for um you know coming and talking to us about it all today. Um obviously it's it's made things hopefully a lot clearer for people is in terms of the budget. But if you do have any questions, there are there is a statement on our website, um, but you can also email us at campaigns bi.ie and we can try and ask answer any questions that you might have. Um and obviously just to remember that if anybody listening does require any services from Vision Island, you know, if you're dealing with sight loss and and need any assistance, you can always go to our website which is www.vi.ie, and you can call our info line at 1-800-911-250. That's 1-800-911250. So thank you so much for listening today, and we hope you'll join us next time. Bye bye.
SPEAKER_00:Thanks for listening to Advocacy Talks. To get in touch with our advocacy team, send us an email to campaigns at vi.e. Or why not join one of our local advocacy networks, where you can work together with others to solve some of the biggest problems facing blind and partially cited people in Ireland. Thanks for listening, and see you next time.