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THE COST OF recapitalising Ireland’s banks has been underlined by the latest Exchequer returns – which showed that the Irish public finances would be €2bn better off than they were last year if not for the cost of repairing the banking sector.
Figures published by the Department of Finance this afternoon showed that the Exchequer ran up a €18.9bn deficit in the first seven months of the year, compared to a €10.2bn deficit for the same period in 2010.
The increase in the deficit was due to a massive €10.6bn bill run up by the taxpayer in bailout out the banking sector – with over €7.5bn paid out to recapitalise the banks in accordance with the last batch of stress tests, and another €3.1bn in payments of promissory notes to Anglo, Irish Nationwide and EBS.
The figures also showed that the government had spent over €3bn servicing Ireland’s national debt – that is, paying the interest on the country’s borrowings – so far this year.
Tax revenues for the year to date are 1.4 per cent ahead of target, thanks to higher income tax receipts and the introduction of the Universal Social Charge, though VAT receipts are €190m lower than expected and are down slightly on last year.
Three of the so-called ‘big four’ methods of raising taxes – income tax, excise duties and corporation tax – are all ahead of schedule, however, with income tax bringing in an extra €180m, corporation tax €93m, and excise duties €67m.
All in all, the Exchequer has taken in €18.633bn for the seven months to the end of July.
The State’s total expenditure is up by 0.9 per cent on the same period last year, to €25.7bn, with current spending up by 3.5 per cent but with capital expenditure down by over 26 per cent.
Department of Social Protection spending was lower than expected as a result of unexpectedly high PRSI receipts, while Education and Skills spent €116m less than anticipated, and Agriculture, Fisheries & Food spent €95m less than expected.
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This headline should read ” insurance company reaping the benefits of gender directive”.
My insurance hasn’t gone down whatsoever! Also under this directive can I get a refund on the €4200 I paid for my first Years insurance back in the day
It’s all about equality.
Equality not so great now ladies.
Can men reclaim the horrific car insurance payments they made in their late teens and early twenties whilst women drove off paying less than half those rates? It was pure discrimination.
So is the article complaining that there is equality now?
It seems so.
Michelle must have enjoyed all those complimentary comments yesterday, because she’s on fire this morning.
I thought it was more that insurance companies are taking advantage of the directive?
It’s about time.
Isn’t equality nice!
I suppose the usual bleaters will complain now because things are not equal enough for them…
… and perhaps post such thoughts up in the form of articles.
There are positives and negatives of equality. You can’t expect to reap the gains and avoid the loses!
Cue Sinéad giving out!
Can’t wait for the age directive so older motorists have to pay the same as younger motorists
Mine still costs €1200 a year, which I can’t afford. Even my friends who now have full licences are paying at least €800 a year.
Complete Bo#$&x. Not a claim ever my renewal quote doubled this week, I don’t recall having a sex change. Even scouring around general quotes more than last years premium.
Mine went up significantly after the gender directive, but I noticed that my older sister, who doesn’t even have a full licence, still paid less than me. So age must be a factor too. My premium has now come down again thankfully, but all savings will be lost by the time I have to renew my health insurance!
Go online to renew health insurance, big money can be saved that way
Mine went down in fact all i pay is €350 fully comp. Its great really considering it was 800 two years ago… roll on the equality movement… next i hope that ALL my fellow citizens who drive around in 2014 brand new cars and hi-aces have to pay actual income tax and have benefits stopped until they can prove income… now there’s a novel idea.
I’m amused you are envious of those who drive HiAces…
There should be a tax on excess cynicism and assuming the worst about your fellow citizens.
Good
They obviously didn’t talk to Aviva if the research is indicating an average price drop for men.
My claim trippled this week. When I rang them I was told that all insurance was going up all across the board due to more claims. I had to shop around, I got a cheaper quote only 100euro over my old quote. Insurance companies are like criminals. Charge what they like with no fear.
Seeing as this a gender directive should LBGTI persons incur more costs , on account of their sexual mis-adventures and the dangers therin …, or is gender not a social construct when it comes to health insurance ?
Sorry?
Are you suggesting a gay person sleeps around more then a heterosexual?
Go out on any Saturday night and you’ll see a heterosexual person hooks up sleeps around the same as somebody that is gay, their all human’s after all with the same urges and desires.
Gender is not the same as sexuality.ffs.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/service/advertorials/sexually-transmitted-infections-in-men-who-have-sex-with-men-msm-continue-to-soar-30086359.html , I’m merely stating a fact and proposed that perhaps a person who “identifies” as gay should bear the financial brunt if their lifestyle choice endangers their health
Don’t feed the troll/Neanderthal lads
Gay women are at a lower risk. Should they pay less?
As a gay women, I don’t think so.
They say gender doesn’t matter, yet they all ask if you’re male or female with no choice to ignore answering so I’m sceptical regarding any real change.
My Broker is charging a fee of €45 for renewal through them. I went online myself and got a cheaper quote than they got for me. A follow up call from the insurer got me another 5% off. Needless to say I’m taking care of business myself this year.
‘Gender directive’ – hate these euphemisms.
It’s not a euphemism. There really is a European Directive and it really does deal with gender. Council Directive 2004/113/EC if you’re interested.
So equal pay will be next on the agenda. Men get paid more than women in the same job so I suppose when they balance it as they have done here, the extra pay we will get will offset the hike in insurance. Of course by the same token the drop in wages for men will be offset by the drop in insurance
No they don’t
Equality, its all fun and games untill you see what it really means :)
Smoking , drinking heavily , pharmacuetical drug dependence , illegal drug use , over or under eating & depression would be factored into a quote for health cover , why not the practice of unsafe sex?
It depends on how the companies define unsafe sex? It also would depend on how they would regulate it and prove it. If people don’t admit to it, and are healthy, it can’t be proven. Unlike smoking, drug use, dangerous work etc.
have your say