The Government says it will spend €2.2BN on social housing over the next three years.
A shortage of housing, particularly in Dublin, has dominated much of Budget 2015.
The Finance Minister told the Dail that the Government is "removing blockages from the system to get the market moving, to generate building activity and to increase supply".
Michael Noonan says people looking to buy their first home will be given a "concession" to help them save a deposit.
It has also been announced that there will be a tax relief on Water Charges at the standard rate of 20 percent for all households up to a maximum of 500 euro per year.
Budget Bulletpoints:
- Cigarettes - Up 40c a pack from midnight
- Alcohol - No increase
- Petrol & Diesel - No increase
- Motor Tax or Vehicle Registration Tax - No increase
- A 25 per cent Christmas bonus will be paid this year to welfare recipients.
- Increase in Child Benefit of 5 euro per child in 2015 and a further 5 euro per child in 2016 if resources allow
- Income Tax Standard Rate Band to increase by 1,000 to 33,800 for a single person
- Increasing the entry point to USC to just above 12,000 euro, reduction in the USC rates
- Increase in USC for those earning over 70 thousand euro
- Top rate of income tax to be cut from 41 per cent to 40 per cent
- End to civil service embargo
- Extra garda to be hired
- Extra teachers to be hired - 920 mainstream teachers will be hired along with 480 resource teachers and 365 Special Needs Assistants.
- An additional 10 million will be provided for homeless accommodation services
- Families can retain the full Qualified Child Increase of 29.80 a week per child for first year of returning to work and 50 per cent for second year
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