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THERE WILL BE a record general Government surplus of approximately €25 billion recorded this year.
The massive figure is more than double what was projected and includes the €14 billion windfall fund from Apple’s unpaid tax - all of which will be recorded in the State’s accounts for this year.
This surplus will help Minister for Finance Jack Chambers and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe afford a number of one-off payments in what is expected to be a bumper budget, which they will announce on Tuesday.
A total of €105.4 billion in expenditure is already being made available in Budget 2025.
It includes reported cuts and alterations to USC and income tax bands, increases to the State pension, investment in childcare, transport and infrastructure and expansions and adaptations to existing housing schemes.
But, speaking to reporters this evening, Chambers said he did not expect the planned cost-of-living package to be of the same scale as last year, given that inflation has fallen.
He did acknowledge, however, that there are still impacts as a result of high prices from underlying inflation which he hopes will be targeted through the planned package of supports.
The Department of Finance will publish its ‘White Paper’ this evening, which will project the Government’s tax take and expenses next year. This will give a final view of the State’s expenses ahead of the Budget announcement.
The figures will not include measures to be announced in the Budget.
Though the Apple tax makes up a great portion of the surplus, a record high of €30 billion in corporation taxes to be recieved by the State this year – €5.5 billion more than expected – is what the ministers will be largely reliant on for spending at the Budget.
This is because only €8 billion of the Apple escrow fund will be injected into the exchequer this year while the remaining €6 billion will be accrued next year.
For accounting purposes, however, all €14 billion of it will be on the State’s books this year, Chambers explained.
Chambers said Government will not be using the Apple tax fund for day-to-day expenses or to narrow the tax base, but instead the ministers will take “a wider, strategic view” on how it can assist the economy, strengthen competitiveness and invest in infrastructure.
“That has to be done carefully with proper economic assessment, and that’s why we’ll be careful in the management of that,” he said.
He added that the “strategic direction” of the use of the Apple money will be announced on Tuesday.
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He sounds like an inspirational man.
A talented engineer with a great cause.
Always a recipe for success.
I wish Enda and his team, the best of luck.
Well done to Enterprise Ireland for backing them.
Excellent idea. Hope he publishes his data. In terms of language use here, it would be preferable to say ‘children with autism’ rather than ‘autistic’.There is so much more to these children than just their diagnosis.
Typical Irish we’d find something wrong in everything, even a good news story like this. Very cynical of you to assume people fail to see the child beyond the diagnosis. It is what it is, I don’t think worrying about how it’s put is up there on the list of priorities. And yes I have an autistic family member.
By that logic it would be preferable to say human of lesser years rather than children.
Richard, you make a lot of assumptions there. I’m a child psychologist and am very enthused about this project as I stated in my comment. As I work extensively in the area of special educational needs, it is common place to refer to children as such. You may disagree, but I know that some professionals, families and children themselves prefer less categorical descriptions.
Sounds like he knows his stuff, can’t fault anything he said.
I’m also delighted children with language disorder are also included.
It is factually incorrect to say that all children diagnosed with ASD or language disorders are highly intelligent individuals. This program costs €100 per week and its efficacy is unproven by proper research and evaluative studies…
He did not say ‘all’ children. Straw man.
He left it to the common sense of the reader to determine the meaning. A dangerous assumption, with respect, to the miserati Irish.
The program costs €100 per week. And?
It’s a company. It has to charge to make a profit, to keep it in business. Jesus wept.
It’s a company that has convinced enough people to invest in it, with their results and the possibility of results.
They are constantly researching which is where results come from. It’s where all engineering and scientific progress begins with.
Now, to go back to bed, son.
Read back on your comment David and ask yourself should you have really posted such a moronic response.
You find it acceptable for a company to convince people to invest in their programme, ( nay, in the future of their children), because they need to make a profit!….?
” The program costs €100 per week. And?It’s a company. It has to charge to make a profit, to keep it in business. Jesus wept. It’s a company that has convinced enough people to invest in it, with their results and the possibility of results. ”
They have NO EMPIRICAL RESULTS whatever as to the efficacy of the program.
You say, “They are constantly researching which is where results come from. ”
I suspect that you’re a low-life trollix, or an investor in said company.
Before I go back to bed as you suggested, I’d like to inform you that I’ve been deeply involved in the welfare and education of children with ASD for the past fourteen years and have learned during that time to view ALL ” sure cure programmes” with a very jaundiced eye.
I personally would be very reluctant to pay €100 per week for a program, not shown by proper research to be in any way effective, the sale of which is based solely on the assurance by the CEO of the company that it helped his children.
Basing a business on the hopes and dreams of people who struggle to cope with ASD and its impact on their daily lives, without proof of success, leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
I have expertise in this area…what do you have, “son”?
You cannot even get the basics right.
1. It’s €100 per month, not per week. You were corrected already.
“You find it acceptable for a company to convince people to invest in their programme, ( nay, in the future of their children), because they need to make a profit!….?”
Another straw man. 2 in the one article. Maybe you are just confused.
1. Consumers don’t invest, they pay a price for a product/service.
2. Investors, invest, to make a profit or else they invest to make a loss. Anything else is charity. Profit is the indication of efficiency. It’s what pays the wages and brings the product to the market.
“I suspect that you’re a low-life trollix, or an investor in said company.”
Ah, the Irish use of the word, Troll. i.e for anyone whose points, you cannot refute.
I am not an investor in this private company although I wish I was.
‘Jaundiced eye’ means bias. You are taking an opinion before appraised of the facts. Page one of the scientific method. You have made statements that you have no evidence to back up. You know nothing about this company yet have already condemned it.
Pixar have put their name behind it. Whose due diligence is better, yours or theirs.
Enterprise Ireland have put money into it but you know better.
“ot shown by proper research to be in any way effective, the sale of which is based solely on the assurance by the CEO of the company that it helped his children.”
Gee, if only EI and Pixar had thought of that.
More supposition. Do you understand the difference between a commercial product and a scientific experiment? I have an Iphone and Imac, not backed by peer review, yet for some strange reason, they perform excellently. I can see they perform excellently hence I buy them.
Their product and their internal tests are empirical results. What you mean is that they have not been independently peer reviewed(even that, is only an assumption) Stop using words that you don’t understand.
‘Without proof of success…’
Why the did Pixar, EI invest then?
“I have expertise in this area…what do you have”
12 HL Languages, 5 Assembly languages and years of successful product implementation.
Anything else?
No, well get out of the way then and let the engineers go to work, making the world better.
Ireland. Unbelievable sometimes.
Rather than waste time pointing out the multiple inaccuracies in your response I will merely remark that your whole view of this business is based on a sociopathic “greed is good” premise, showing no concern whatever for the welfare of the ASD children.
Oh, and by the way, there’s actually nothing wrong with charity. Perhaps this is where our opinions diverge…
I met this man and he is a genius.When you have a child who cannot communicate you have behaviour issues and frustration.I wish this project was there when my child was non verbal.
In starting this with my son next week and its not €100 a week, it’s €100 a month. Well worth the money considering one 45 min session with speech therapist is €65+. This is exactly what my son needs. And those with the negative comments, it’s obvious that this is not an everyday worry for you and if ye knew what it was line , you would realise this is a god send. Just think about all the proof that would of had to be given for Pixar to put their name to it.
Talked to Enda myself and he is a lovely man. A gentleman and a big thank you to him for this. He has experienced all sides of autism so knows what he is talking about.
Go Enda!!
Best of Luck, Emma, to you are your son.
It is an exciting prospect.
This is great news.
Well done to Enda Dodd, his team and Enterprise Ireland.
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