With the the publication this week of the Irish budget for the forthcoming fiscal year, it would appear that there is little to be cheerful about in the land of the Celtic Tiger. Here are the main points of the budget at a glance :
Taxation : 1pc levy on incomes up to €1925 per week – 2pc levy on earnings over that. Standard rate of tax band increased by €1000 for single, €2000 for married couples. 21 pc VAT to 21.5pc from Dec 1st.
Health : A & E charges up from €66 to €100 for non-medical card holders without a GP letter. Means test for over 70s medical card.
Old Reliables : 20 pack of cigarettes up 50c. Bottle of wine up 50c. Litre of petrol up 8c.
Transport : €10 departures levy. Motor tax rates up by 4pc and 5pc.
Education : College registration fees up from €900 to €1500
Welfare : State contributory pensions up by €7 a week.
Public service : Government ministers and some senior civil servants to take a 10pc pay cut.
So there you have it. A bit of doom and gloom for the Irish taxpayer. Coupled with the fact that the Government has had to scrap its’ plans for civil service relocation AND the proposed national stadium, one is left wondering what Fianna Fail have been doing in office these past 10 years…
Isn’t the whole point of increased capital to capitalise on it ? Questions have been asked about what has happened to all of the wealth generated by the boom in the Irish economy since roughly 1997, however, none have been answered. To little surprise might I add.
Bertie was obviously spending too much with Mahon.
It’s hard to know whether or not you should laugh or cry sometimes. Or emigrate.
Green about London 