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Updated 7.05am
THE LEVEL OF adjustment in Budget 2014 will be discussed by Ministers at this morning’s Cabinet meeting.
Ministers Michael Noonan and Brendan Howlin will present aggregate figures to their coalition colleagues ahead of next week’s public Dáil announcement.
It is expected that the total adjustment figure will be less than the mooted €3.1 billion after the IMF gave the green light to ease the figure back to below €2.8 billion.
Discussions today are likely to be followed by further Cabinet meetings later this week and early next week prior to next Tuesday’s announcement.
The split between Finance and Public Expenditure figures will be discussed at Cabinet. While Noonan’s department looks after tax and income-generating issues, while Howlin’s department examines how money is spent.
Both ministers have remained tight-lipped on options for this year’s budget but that hasn’t stopped speculation among lobby groups, other political parties and the media.
Although the government has promised not to change income tax arrangements, the possibility of widening PRSI and USC takes has been suggested.
The usual favourites of alcohol and tobacco will likely get hit with further duties but the property tax will remain at the same rate.
No changes are expected in Ireland’s famed 12.5 per cent corporation tax rate. Motor tax and VRT are also candidates for increases.
Despite a campaign by Joan Burton to protect her portfolio, there looks like there will be cuts in overall welfare payments. The core payments will be maintained but eligibility rules may change.
The outline of the fiscal plan was handed to European Union officials for informal approval over the past two days, according to Monday’s Irish Times.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin is set to reveal its pre-Budget submission later today while Fianna Fáil will launch its proposals on Thursday.
First published 6.30am
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A few years ago there was uproar when it was found that the budget went to the EU before we saw it, now it’s routine.
We’re a broken people!!
Blame it on those who voted yes to the Fiscal Compact referendum. Though in fairness they were told that would mean we could access the ESM fund for historic debt. Motto of the story is never ever trust an Irish politician.
Motorists going to get tanked again. As if we aren’t screwed enough already. 131/132 didn’t work, so they’ll fix it by increasing the cost of cars??
Dole needs to be slashed. What other country forks out so much free cash?
I wonder how much could be saved if we could stop the childrens allowance payments that are being sent out of the country?
What do you expect people to live on who have lost their job through no fault of their own. The unemployment rate in this. Country is around 14% so jobs are hard to come by. You try living on the dole it doesn’t even cover the basics. I am very fortunate I have never been unemployed but I realise its just that luck and have sympathy for those who have lost jobs in this economic crisis. I for one do not want to punish them further
Some people are idiots. ‘Slash the dole’ they roar as if the unemployed are living high on the hog off welfare, or that the unemployed can survive on fresh air.
People need money to survive, if they have none they are faced with a choice: starvation or crime.
I know which one the dole-slashing brigade would have them choose (god forbid anyone else should get their hands on their precious stuff), and I know which one I would choose if put in that position.
“Air. Noun: A nutritious substance supplied by a bountiful Providence for the fattening of the poor”.
Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary.
Its not free Joe, its enough to buy food and heat the house. They may have paid tax all their life, stop being such a Nazi, shall we set up a site on Bull Island and throw abuse at them? Think how much we paid the bond holders, the wasted 17 million on Friday, its that direction you should vent spleen at.
What is wrong with these people!! Can’t they see we don’t have anymore money to give them
I’m afraid Stanley the Irish have no backbone, the bits knew it the Troika know it, not one protest over 5000 people since the decimation of the economy and the transfer of bank debt to the people of Ireland. They can and will do what they like and we the people will do absolutely nothing to stop them.
Happy Tuesday :-(
The level of adjustment in Budget 2014 will not be agreed by cabinet this morning.
It was agreed last week by our economic power houses, Noonan, howlin, Kenny, and Gilbore.
It was approved in Brussels by Germany.
The cabinet will now be invited to rubber stamp a fait accompli
Next year, just for sh|ts and giggles like, let’s leave the writing of the budget to the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker. Should be a hoot.
If “Fine Gael ” can’t tax it…
They’ll call a referendum and ban it !!!
Can’t wait to hear about the Xmas tax, the birthday tax, and the tax on “tax”!!
The Tax on Tax came a long time ago.
Hahah yeah or the USC a tax for being lucky enough to have a job.
Whats to discuss? Tax up, fuel up, drink up, tobacco up, savings down, pensions down, wages frozen except for ministers.
Will Enda and his cohort’s stick it to us because we the lowly peasants voted his big ideas into the pages of misery ? Will he make us pay? You better believe it.
If Enda slaps a big tax on vaserline you just know we are going to get in up the a–e. Stock up now while you still can.
We need to slash the dole freeloaders anyhow. That should free up a lot of cash for important areas in health and services
Is everyone on the dole a freeloader joe?
….and what’s this ‘we’ about? The citizens have no control over budgets….are you another shill, paid to pollute Internet forums with the great old divide and conquer tactic? It would explain the ‘we’ in your statement?!
Important areas such as you Joe?
Today?
I thought it went to the Troika last week so what are they talking about today? How to lie in 10 easy steps is it?
They will tax you for taking a shite next.oh wait they already do thru the new water tax and vat on jax roll.
There will be a massive protest in Dublin before Xmas. I would bet any money I have on it
Hope so.
No chance, unfortunately no chance.
Why is 2.8 billion euro of cuts and tax increases that will squeeze people with nothing left to give referred to as a mere “adjustment”?
Yeah sure cut the welfare (remember 300,000 people lost their jobs as a result of the political imcompetence, corruption and cronisim).
Yet let ministers and senators.go on claiming upwords on €600,000in expenses in a month…..whilst not at work).
Let the retired ministers live it up on fat pensions at the expense of taxpayers…….and get positions on state boards etc.
Thats sounds fair!!!!!!!!!!
This Country is a joke.
Lets look at some simple budget solutions.
cut overseas aid to €100m saving €583m.
No more for for catholic church savings €88.
No more money for fee paying schools, saving €80m.
Gas budget halved .saving €500m.
Political expenese cut to €7000pa per td , saving about €10m.
move higher tax threshold to €70,000 , will mean more money for people to spend = vat intake increase and domestic economy will will moving in right direction = more jobs =less social welfare. Savings unknown but huge.
Sell gov jet.
Cut all quango salaries …down under the level of toaiseach , likewise in the Ps and Hse(excluding doctors).
Not add to those savings the money from selling the lotto and the pending sell of board gais.
Close ALL tax loopholes for corporations ….they should be paying the full 12.5%.
Budget 2014 sorted
That should say FAS budget halved….not gas budget (fatfingers.com)
When are you running for office? I’d vote for you. Can I add to your list though? Can we tax all religious organisations? St.Vincent de Paul is a charity so ok, tax free status. The Chatolics Church is not as far as I know and they own some cherry properties just about everywhere. Come to thing of it, do they have to pay property tax?
Just found out last week that the same percentage of tax income is allocated in servicing debt as in education. There is a fundamental wrong there!!!
That’s totally whack man…
Why are there so many ministers having a say just after losing the referendum?
Meh I think I’ll wait for the actual budget instead of complaining about something neither I (nor the media) has seen.
You don,t need a weatherman to tell you its pissin rain .
have your say