Millions for Olympians, dog control, ‘forgotten farmers’: nine budget measures you may have missed

The billions in tax cuts, cost-of-living measures and welfare increases have been well flagged and hauled over. But here are nine things in Budget 2025 you may have missed.
Team Ireland had huge success at the Olympics and Paralympics in Paris, winning a clutch of gold and other medals. Looking ahead to the 2028 games, the budget includes extra funding of €6 million for Sports Ireland “to launch our athletes for the journey to Los Angeles”.
The budget includes €3.4 million “to promote responsible dog ownership and improve dog control infrastructure”. The funding comes as the ban on XL Bully dogs begins to be phased in. Dog wardens will enforce the ban and there are plans to recruit more wardens.
Ireland’s weather forecasting service, Met Éireann, is to get €3 million in capital funding for 2025. The funding will help drive a series of infrastructure projects including the flood forecasting service, upgrading the smartphone app and new artificial intelligence initiatives.
Lovers of craft cider will be pleased to know producers will see continued support to make their favourite tipple. The tax relief has also been extended to cover drinks such as mead and strawberry wine.
It was announced on Wednesday that free chickenpox vaccines are now part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule. All babies born from this month will be offered the vaccine when they are a year old. The budget includes funding for the scheme.
A new tax credit for unscripted productions – ie reality TV shows – is to be brought in subject to European Commission approval. Minister for Finance Jack Chambers said it will be available at a rate of 20 per cent on qualifying expenditure of up to €15 million. The goal is to expand the audiovisual sector and, like other similar reliefs projects, projects will be required to pass a “cultural test”. Could a Love Island Lambay or Selling Shrewsbury Road qualify?
The Department of Foreign Affairs will get a further €10 million in funding for the establishment of embassies in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Moldova among other “mission expansion” plans.
The VAT rate for heat pumps has been cut from 23 per cent to 9 per cent. This is aimed at complementing the National Retrofit Plan to encourage the installation of heat pumps in homes to replace less efficient heating systems.
Some €5 million has been earmarked in supports for so-called forgotten farmers. As many as 4,000 farmers lost out on payments for younger farmers. Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue has committed to resolving the issue, and a new scheme will be set up next year with extra funds promised in 2026.