Tag Archives: COVID-19

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The Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Act will be fully implemented on 26 April 2023. From this date, new decision support arrangements will be available. No new Wards of Court will be created after this date, and everyone who is currently a Ward of Court will have their capacity assessed and brought under the new legal framework within 3 years.  The Decision Support Service will oversee the new system.

Public in-patient and day service fees were abolished on 17 April 2023. This means that the daily charge for staying in hospital for public patients no longer applies from this date.

Facemasks are no longer required in healthcare settings. However, you may be recommended to wear one depending on the specific situation or if you are at higher risk from infection.  

A new Sectoral Employment Order setting minimum pay and pension contribution rates for workers in the construction sector will commence on 18 September 2023. 

The disregard from the social welfare means test of €14,000 per year for renting out a room in your own home has been extended until 17 March 2025. 

Reduced toll charges for electric vehicles has been extended to 31 December 2023.

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You can now apply for an Additional Needs Payment online.

You can no longer book a COVID-19 PCR test or order an antigen test through the HSE.

If you are the qualifying adult on your partner’s Jobseeker’s Allowance or Community Employment Payment, you will be able to qualify to take part in the CE Scheme in your own right under changes announced last week.

The Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 has been passed by the Oireachtas. The President will now consider the Bill before signing it into law. Most of the new rules will not apply immediately. The Bill includes:

  • 5 days paid leave for victims of domestic violence
  • 5 days unpaid medical leave for carers and parents of children under 12
  • The right to request flexible working hours for parents and carers, and remote working for everyone
  • The extension of breastfeeding breaks to cover the first 2 years
  • The right to take maternity leave for transgender men

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COVID-19 vaccinations are now available for everyone aged 6 months and over.

Temporary protection will be automatically extended for Ukrainians living in Ireland.

The Immigrant Investor Programme closed to new applicants on 15 February.

Exam dates and other updates for the 2023 Junior Cycle and Leaving Cert exams are now available.

You can also check the details of this year’s summer education programme.

A new Citizens’ Assembly on drug use will take place this year.

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The national minimum wage is now €11.30 per hour.

Statements of terms of conditions of employment must now have information about probation periods. This must be included in the statement of core terms and conditions that employees must receive within 5 days of starting their job.

Statutory sick pay is now available for up to 3 days per year.

All adults can now get their second COVID-19 booster.

Changes in mortgage lending limits are now in place.

The amount of money you can earn and still qualify for local authority housing increased by €5000 per year on 1 January 2023.

The price limits for the First Home Scheme increased from 1 January 2023.

The Low Emissions Vehicle Toll Inventive Scheme, which refunds tolls for some electric cars have been extended to June 2023.

New fixed charge penalties are now in place for:

  • €200 for the misuse of a disabled parking permit
  • €80 for illegally parking in an electric charging bay
  • €200 for breaching an HGV ban and entering a specified public road without a permit

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All social welfare and tax pages  have been updated with 2023 rates and rules.

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From 1 January 2023, you have a right to 3 days’ sick pay a year. This is called statutory sick pay (that means the legal minimum). Sick pay is paid by your employer at 70% of your normal pay up to a maximum of €110 a day.

From 23 January 2023, you will have the option to sit a 45-minute computer-based test to renew your safe pass.

The Accommodation Recognition Payment has increased to €800 per month. The first payment at the new rate will be made on 10 January 2023.

All remaining COVID-19 restrictions on visiting someone in prison have been removed.

Free contraception for women aged 26 will be available from 1 January 2023. The free scheme is currently available to women aged 17 to 25.

Parents who are paying for their children’s accommodation while they are at college can qualify for the new Rent Tax Credit.

Home carers can now apply for a General Employment Permit. They must be earning at least €27,000 per year and either have a Level 5 qualification, or get one within 2 years.

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The Christmas Bonus is normally paid in one lump sum. However, if you are getting Illness Benefit, your Christmas Bonus may be paid over 2 weeks between Tuesday, 6 December 2022, and Friday, 23 December 2022.

You can now apply for the Fuel Allowance online. There are also new Fuel Allowance means tests for over 70s which take effect from 2 January 2023.

If you have a Local Authority Home Loan, interest rates increased on 10 December 2022.

From 1 January 2023, the income limits for local authority/social housing will increase by €5,000 for all local authority areas.

If you were eligible for a free HPV vaccine but you did not get it, you can book a HPV vaccine catch-up appointment online.  This applies if you are:

  • Female and aged 16 to 25, or
  • Male aged 16 or older and you started your first year of secondary school (including  homeschool and special schools) in September 2019

From Friday 9 December, GPs will no longer refer their patients to a PCR test centre for COVID-19 tests. If you are a vulnerable patient, your GP can test you for COVID-19 at their clinic. If you have a medical card or GP visit card, the test is free. If you are a private patient, you will have to pay  €55.

If you cannot find an appropriate school for your child with special needs, new laws make additional provisions for your child. The Department of Education has published information for schools about providing for children with special education needs.

If you are doing an apprenticeship, you should check with your employer or local ETB if you are entitled to any allowances such as a tool allowance. You should also check if you qualify for employment tax credits and reliefs.

If you have changed gender and you want a name on your Gender Recognition Certificate that is different to the name  on your birth certificate, you no longer need to show that you have used your name for 2 years or changed your name by a deed poll.

New European Union laws have come into effect and mean that sale prices must also show the prior price. The prior price is the lowest price the goods were on sale for in the 30 days before the sale.

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Budget 2023 was announced on 27 September 2022. You can read our summary of changes in:

You can also read a summary of the short-term measures that were announced to help people with the cost of living.

Vouchers for 3 free hot-desk days are available until 31 December 2022.

The COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit has now finished. If you have COVID-19 or have been advised to self-isolate you can apply for Illness Benefit.

Third COVID-19 boosters are now available if you are:

  • 65 or older
  • 12 or older with a weak immune system

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Leaving Cert results will be released through the Candidate Self-Service Portal at 10am on Friday 2 September.  You can apply to view exam scripts from 6 September at 5pm to 7 September at 8pm. Read about how to appeal your Leaving Cert results.

Second booster appointments for COVID-19 are now open for people who are:

  • Aged 50 to 64
  • Aged 12 or over with a weak immune system (immunocompromised or immunosuppressed)
  • Pregnant (from 16 weeks)

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