Renters tax credit should increase to over €1,000 along with further tax cuts and pension hike, Simon Harris tells FG Ard Fheis

This would represent a significant increase from the current rate of renter’s tax credit of €750, which was previously €500 per year per renter.

Mr Harris pledged in his Fine Gael Ard Fheis speech that 250,000 homes will be built in Ireland over the next five years.

He also promised to cut taxes, increase the pension, extend the hot school meals programme and extend the Carers Allowance to thousands.

He said the Government will “respond” to help farmers, who have had a “brutal year”.

The housing promises come amid criticism from Sinn Féin for not focusing enough on housing policy after being selected Fine Gael party leader. He said being Taoiseach will be the “greatest challenge of my life” and said he will “hit the ground running”.

Under the Help to Buy scheme, first time buyers are able to get up to €30,000 tax back when buying a new home. Mr Harris promised to extend the scheme for another five years.

Some 45,000 families have availed of the initiative thus far. The scheme has come in for criticism for pushing up house prices and for being a very costly measure.

Mr Harris also promised cuts to income tax and USC, and said Fine Gael will outline a five-year tax strategy later on this year, which will “protect the tax base but also help put more money in people’s pockets”.

A total of 150,000 more children will avail of hot meals at school as the programme will be extended to 900 more primary schools in the next year, he said.

The incoming Taoiseach also promised more cash for carers by increasing the Carer’s Allowance disregard so “that thousands more carers will qualify”.

He also said the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention for the Rights of People with Disabilities will be ratified this year.

The minister also hinted at further increases to the pension in the Budget, saying it has been increased for the past three years.

“Every single year Fine Gael is in Government, we will do more,” he said.

He also said Fine Gael has a plan “to deliver 1,500 more beds and recruit more staff” in hospitals. Mr Harris also promised to reform mental health services and introduce new laws to “reform mental health services, because mental health is one of the greatest challenges facing our young people”.

He said Fine Gael will bring in a package to support businesses in the next year “to make sure you thrive and prosper”. The Government is already rolling out a €250m scheme to help firms with costs and the paperwork has been cut down so that businesses can get the grant “into their bank accounts as quickly as possible”.

Mr Harris said the year has been “brutal” for farmers and promised the Government would help them. “You need help, and we will respond. Under my leadership, I will look at practical supports to help farming community.”

A “plan” will be brought forward over the next six weeks by the Fine Gael agricultural group as a result of holding 15 meetings across the country with farmers recently. The incoming Taoiseach promised to bring in the biomethane strategy so that farmers can earn a good income and he also promised to keep the nitrates derogation, as well as vet schools in rural areas.

“I will work with you and support you so that, together, we retain Ireland’s nitrates derogation which is necessary for our agri-food sector,” he said.