FSU publish their pre-budget submission

FSU call for the expansion of the banking levy to other financial entities with funds raised to be used to deliver a financial literacy program across the Country.

New support fund to promote collective bargaining should be established, says FSU.

The Financial Services Union (FSU) have today launched their pre-budget submission which among other things  calls on the Minister for Finance, Jack Chambers TD to prioritise the  funding of a  financial literacy program and the establishment of a fund to support the full implementation of the EU Adequate Minium Wage Directive.

The submission urges the Government to expand the banking levy and to ringfence a portion of the money raised to fund community based financial literacy programs.

Commenting, John O’Connell, General Secretary of the FSU said:

“The FSU want to ensure that the ordinary people of this Country who bailed out the banks benefit from the funds raised from a levy imposed by the Government during the banking crash.

The financial services sector is changing, and we feel it is an appropriate time to expand the levy to include other financial institutions. This would move the levy away from been seen as a punishment of the banking crash to a fund supported by the wider banking sector and used for social good.

The FSU firmly believe a portion of the funds raised should be used to improve the financial literacy of people using the facilities provided by the banking sector.

The EU Directive on Adequate Minimum Wage is required to be transposed into Irish Law by 15^th November 2024. A critical part of this Directive is the requirement of the Government to produce an action plan to support and enable collective bargaining. Any action plan will require resources, and we call on the Government to set up a support fund to ensure resources are allocated to support business and workers in achieving the set aims of the Directive.

Our submission also includes calls for  the Government to incrementally increase paid maternity leave from 26 weeks to 52 weeks and to make menopause treatment medication available over the counter at pharmacies free of charge.

A budget provides a moment in time that can change the circumstances and lives of people for the better. We urge the Government to put the wellbeing of workers and their families at the core of their budget announcements.”

ENDS

Full submission and list of recommendations are included here: https://www.fsunion.org/assets/files/pdf/budget_2025.pdf