After a frantic few days of negotiations, the Government's spending plans for next year are being finalised ahead of Budget 2024 tomorrow.
It will be the most important budget in the lifetime of the current Government, coming ahead of elections next year and after months of increasing inflation and cost-of-living pressures.
At the Curragh Racecourse in Co Kildare over the weekend, people who know the value of the euro-in-their pocket, families on day out and punters at the trackside told RTÉ’s This Week programme what is on their Budget 2024 wish list.
Housing was the number one topic among punters.
Kirsty, who was at the races with her dad Gerry, says she would like to see more help for first-time buyers in the budget.
"I actually have to live with my in-laws because I can't afford to buy a house, so that'll be my life for the next three or four years until I can actually afford something," she said.
"Renting is dead money; you are paying someone else's mortgage. I'm hoping to buy, but also no one wants to give planning permission and no houses are going up for sale.
"You need to make houses more available, you know, like renting alone is €1,200 a month per house around here.
"Reduce rents if you're going to make it available. Make it more available for those that can't afford it," Kirsty said.
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Another young racegoer from Cork city is calling for the rent tax credit to be increased.
"The price of renting in Cork city is crazy. We're actually living together, but we had to bring in someone with us because we couldn't afford to live on our own," he said.
"Maybe the Government could also crack down on landlords as well and make renting a bit more reasonable. You can't rent and save to buy at the same time, it’s impossible," he added.
Other racegoers were backing measures to tackle the cost of living.
One mother, who was at the Curragh with her two adult sons, said more needs to be done for middle-income earners.
"I’d like a reduction in the energy bills. Even though we've got solar panels, it’s still quite high with the cost of living and food and everything," she said.
"I work in a hospital and get a good enough wage but there's weeks where there's nothing in my account. My two sons are living at home, they can't afford to move out and rent.
"So it's cheaper for them to stay at home, even though both have two good jobs. Then they need to increase wages.
"I also travel through a toll bridge to go to work so there’s money coming out everywhere," she added.
Beth, who works in the healthcare sector, said she also has to live with her parents.
"I’ve a young baby and the price of formula is going up and up. It's hard when you've done four years of a degree and at the end, you've barely a living wage.
"I'm still at home. Even if I was renting, I'd really be struggling because, like all of my friends that are renting, they're barely living week to week and they still need help as well.
"Just the price of everything that's going up and up. Like, no matter what you cut back on. You're still getting stuck," Beth added.
As discussions around Budget 2024 reach the home stretch, racegoers are hoping something will be done to tackle energy and fuel prices, while others want a hand with childcare costs.
The Shannon family from Co Roscommon said the cost of fuel has really hit them hard, especially over the past two months.
"It was manageable earlier on in the year, even though it was high, but now it's really pinching.
"If these costs are still at the same levels next spring, I mean, it's not viable for a young family. We’ve three young children under ten. We both work. We are just struggling."
