Budget 2025 branded ‘incredibly frustrating’ by Galway Student Union President
By Joline Sundén Rönnlund
As part of Budget 2025, the student contribution charge will be reduced in a one-off €1,000 cut for undergraduate students, a trend following the two previous budgets.
Faye Ní Dhomhnaill, the president of the University of Galway Student Union, welcomes the measures and their positive impact upon students’ finances, but she believes more needs to be done.
She said that “it is all temporary measures”, which makes it problematic for students to plan ahead since a college degree is usually more than one year.
When asked what measures she would have liked to see, she had several suggestions .
“There should have been adjustments made to SUSI, there was no increase in the SUSI grant, there was no increase in the thresholds for the SUSI grant.”
From January, the national minimum wage will increase from €12.70 to €13.50 per hour. Additionally, the Rent Tax Credit for students increases from €750 to €1,000.
Regarding the rent credit, although she described it as an overall great initiative, she expressed her wish that the government would prioritise solving the core of the housing crisis for students.
“Rent credits, they are welcomed, but students need beds first.”
This initiative she noted, will not help those stuck on a friend’s couch.
Overall, she wished more could have been done.
“It was supposted to be one of the biggest giveaway budgets since the Celtic tiger and that has not been seen, so it’s incredibly frustrating.”
To learn more about Budget 2025, our comprehensive budget explainer is available here.
