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FIANNA FÁIL TODAY published their submission for Budget 2013, with a near 50:50 split between tax increases and expenditure cuts.
Outlining projected savings of €3.5 billion, party spokesperson on finance Michael McGrath said that it was based on three priorities:
First, we are proposing that education, mental health and disability services be fully protected.
Second, enterprise is at the heart of our budget approach and we will not add to the cost of employing people.
Third, we are committing ourselves to a progressive approach to the budget unlike last year’s budget which hit poorer income households the hardest.
Public Sector Pension Deduction
As a “solidarity measure,” the party called for the pensions of “retired senior civil servants, public servants and politicians” to be reduced.
Only pensions of €75,000 and over would be impacted, however, with those between €75,000 and €100,000 cut by 25 per cent, with any excess over €100,000 cut by 30 per cent.
Taxation
Fianna Fáil proposed that salaries over €100,000 should be subject to a Universal Social Charge of three per cent, which would pertain to the portion above the €100,000.
They also suggested reducing tax relief on pensions to 30 per cent, with a reduced earnings cap of €70,000. In place of this would be a deferred tax credit.
The party believe that “now is not the right time” to introduce a property tax, which they believe would further damage an “already weak economy”.
Increasing the capital gains tax rate to 35 per cent would bring in €80 million, while increasing the proportion of the retail price of cigarettes that goes to government would raise a minimum of €100 million in the first year, and €150 million in subsequent years.
The party also proposed a ramp-up in revenue enforcement, noting that the number of tax audits have dropped from 13,400 in 2009 to approximately 9,800 in 2012. The redeployment of certain revenue staff, along with further recruitment could, “at a conservative estimate” yield an additional €100 million next year.
While Sinn Féin proposed to reduce the excise on petrol and diesel by five per cent, Fianna Fáil proposed an equalisation of the duty paid on agricultural fuel to bring it into line with other motor fuels. Believing it to lead to a reduction in the illegal laundering of diesel, up to €100 million could be achieved within the first year.
The party proposed a 10 per cent levy on off license alcohol sales, which they believe will raise a “minimum of €100 million in a full year.” In addition, the cost of a beer license should reflect the volume of sales and the square footage of the retailer. An abolition of the below cost selling of alcohol would also net €20 million, according to “industry estimates”.
Wishing to see the introduction of a “junk food” tax which would be based on the levels of salt, sugar and added sugars, up to €95 million could be raised from a sugar tax and €13 million from a salt tax.
Property owners and renters
It was proposed that first time buyers would have an addition one year added to the term of their mortgage interest relief, subject to an annual maximum of €2,000. This would cost government approximately €20 million.
A “range of measures” were also suggested to assist those in negative equity. This would include legislation to allow those who move house to keep their tracker mortgage, where applicable, along with a “revision to the rules” which govern how a principle private residence is defined, with a view to income tax.
We propose a simple change to the income tax code which would allow people who bought their house between 2000 and 2009, who have now moved out and are themselves renting another house, to offset this payment against the rental income for a period of 3 years. We estimate this will cost €20m in the first year.
The party also proposed an increase of €4 per week in the contribution for individuals under the Rent Supplement Scheme which would save government €25 million.
Home improvements
Fianna Fáil also proposed reversing cuts to home insulation grants which were made in last year’s budget, while providing a tax credit of up to €2,500 for “approved home improvements” carried out by “registered, tax compliant contractor” in the hope of reducing black market activity.
The availability of “green loans” with favourable terms should also be made available through credit unions.
Business
Fianna Fáil stated that they believe that Ireland’s corporation tax should remain as is.
While suggesting that the rate of employers’ PRSI should remain the same, Fianna Fáil believe that commercial rates for businesses should be determined based on their economic circumstances. Other measures, including allowing full tax relief for start-up companies, were also proposed.
The party also said that the Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton needs to “rule out any changes to the arrangements for employee sick pay.”
Improvements in efficiency within the ESB, Bord Gáis and Eirgrid should also be considered, with a National Energy Efficiency Action Plan undertaken to achieve a nation energy saving of 20 per cent by 2020.
On the topic of credit availability, Fianna Fáil said that government should “adopt proposals” made by them which “called for greater lending powers to be given to credit unions and greater use of the County Enterprise Boards in respect of micro-finance.”
Motor Tax
While keeping the cost of motor tax unchanged, Fianna Fáil believe that cutting the evasion rate to one per cent would result in savings of €40 million.
Employment
An increase of up of 10,000 places on local employment schemes, including the work Tús (work placement) scheme was outlined.
On the topic of youth unemployment, the party proposed the cutting of courses in education and training “that are no longer relevant to labour market needs,” while mirroring the UK model of education and training vouchers on a pilot basis.
Young people who are not in education, employment or training six months after qualifying for job seekers allowance should enter a “strengthened” community employment scheme as opposed to suffering from cuts to their benefit.
The party would also like to see 100,000 job seekers up-skilled to have ICT skills over the next four years.
They also proposed expanding the current JobBridge scheme by 5,000 places which would be specifically targeted at those under 25.
Bank Pay and Pensions
Making reference to the fact that consultant firm Mercer are currently reviewing bank pay levels, Fianna Fáil said that if government did not act immediately, they would seek to introduce legislation to impose “a significant reduction” on pay levels.
They also want a reduction in pensions paid to bank staff, which they plan to seek support for in the Dáil.
On pensions in general, the party want people to be able to gain early access to up to 20 per cent of their pension scheme, which would be taxed at a marginal rate.
Croke Park Agreement
Fianna Fáil believe that the country’s public sector pay bill needs to be tackled more aggressively with stricter deadlines set, and adhered to. They want an additional €350 million in savings next year, with an increased focus on “procurement, shared services, out-sourcing and administration.”
Stimulus measures
The party proposed a three-year investment of at least €4.2 billion.
This would be generated by ending the current pension fund levy by the end of 2013 and replacing it with a mandatory investment by private pension funds into the Strategic Investment Fund, at one per cent per year for three years.
Calculating this as bringing in €700 million per year (a total of €2.1 billion), this figure would be matched each year by taking €700 million from the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF).
Expenditure
Fianna Fáil have proposed that government should have a capital spend of €3.4 billion for this year, which is €150 million more than is currently proposed. This, combined with the current underspend of €336 million, could be used to create between 3,000-5,000 new jobs.
Finance spokesman for Fianna Fáil, Deputy Michael McGrath TD said the the party were proposing that “education, mental health and disability services” would be fully protected, while cuts to home help support hours would be reversed, costing €10 million.
The party also called for a reversal in cuts to third level grants, at a cost of €10 million. A further €5 million would also be incurred by their proposal to restore career guidance teachers in schools.
Lifting the ban on the current Garda recruitment embargo (€5 million) and a reversal in cuts to DEIS schools (€2 million) were also suggested.
An increase in the number of school resource hours would cost €5 million, while offering free GP care to all children would cost €10 million.
A new employment programme which would allow participants to have their social payments transferred to employers could lead to approximately 12,000 new jobs.
Other
Separate to their own budget proposals, Fianna Fáil want a co-ordinated Europe-wide response to the current Eurozone crisis.
The party also called for a deal on the country’s bank debt, saying that “it is in Europe’s interests that Ireland turns out to be a success story.”
Fianna Fáil also want to see the agri-food sector continue to be a “a great success story for the Irish economy”.
Seeing arts and culture as “valuable to Irish society as a whole” film investment relief should be extended to 2016 in order maintain “Ireland’s attractiveness as a location for film production”.
Changing payments from the State Claims Agency from one-off lump sum payments to periodic payments could save €25 million in 2013.
(Taken from “A Fairer Way to Recovery”)
“The package we are publishing today is not a template for an easy budget, but we believe it is fair, progressive and it supports the very enterprises who have the ability to lead this country to recovery,” McGrath said.
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Shocking.
Why can’t people just live and let live.
If only the RCC took that attitude for the last 20 centuries…
There are many, many people in this country with longstanding and deeply held grievances against the Church. Frankly, I’m surprised there are any left standing at all.
The journal has been gining up this anti-Catholic Church sentiment the last few nights.
You think having a debate and discussing current topics is anti-church?
While that’s not true Randy,even if they were,how many more centuries of oppression,homophobia,misogyny,abuse do you guys need?
Space after a comma is a thing, just so you know
So is using a full stop when ending a sentence.
I’ve been told that if you spend too long in a comma you could come to a full stop.
At least we’re not still openly professing that s#ite Tariq
Maybe he’s not finished and is just holding his breath?
@Tariq still going on in your backwards 16th century religion child brides prophet marries a child Gays hung killing innocent Europeans, women treated as second class citizens, killing minority religions in Arab countries murdering priests! The list goes on with the religion of peace!
Mac, how is that different to Catholicism? No women priests, no bodily autonomy for women, magdalene laundries, industrial school abuses, protecting rapists and paedophiles, gays are intrinsicly disordered, and they have centuries of blood on their hands.
Makey Uppy “god” is as vindictive and nasty as Makey Uppy “allah”.
Oh get over yourself Tariq,another year another no show on the Garvaghy Rd…..get used to it.
@Daisy don you understand that’s in the past! Islam is the new repressive religion that the left loves protecting!
Not as much as you guys 250 years behind the rest of the world and stuck there.
God knows how many previous Satanic attacks were made in & outside Churches in Ireland, by Catholic clergy
No, they can’t as they are stupid, they make excuses but their words and actions always proves who and what they are, no matter how they try to excuse it with lies or ways to hide their evil actions.
People are evil because they think it gives them some sort of control or power in their lives but it doesn’t, it means they are slaves to their emotional immaturities, adults with childrens emotions.
Not mature enough to grow up but living in the past when someone took the dummy from their mouth and they have been spitting that very same dummy out of their pram since because a lack of control leads to anger and anger leads to hatred and this causes people to be stupid, act stupid and to be cruel?
If people knew what satanists were, they are hurt people who find comfort in others like them who want to do harm due to a past hurt. It is the mob mentality like Daesh etc. A group of hurt people without a way to get over their hurt but they use it to hurt others because they were hurt themselves, these people then have self esteem issues that they play out and that is why they attack in my view as happy people annoy them like Church goers I suppose?
All this shows us is how adults act like children because other people have something they don’t have, community, respect and more self esteem than they have?
I ain’t religious one bit but that satanic Sh*t creeps me the hell out( pardon the pun)
It’s all a bit creepy to me.
I’d be more worried about God who killed 2.4 million people in the Bible compared to Satan’s measly 7.
It was actually 10, Job’s 7 sons and 3 daughters which god permitted him to kill as part of a bet.
Tariq
Get a life.
You are obsessive.
Yeah he’s killed nearly as many as the paedophile war monger aka Mohammed, you agree Liam?
Tariq – are ye not really of the Synagogue of Satan?
Haha the Muslim dude talking about the evils of other religions. How ridiculous
He ain’t Muslim, He is from Israel and he is a little Hasbara troll.
In fairness, he’s not wrong
I’m just quoting the lunatics Holy Book! I stand corrected on the number 10 though.
Is it still murder if God encourages it?
Chlorines he’s from wexford. 40 somthing Irish middle class convert.
Tariq thinks the Koran is a much better fit for lunatics that want to worship all powerful entities.
Is your fake profile named after the syrian Muslim commander? Just curious.
Sorry someone tell me who this dope Tariq is?somebody mentioned before he is some dope living in Waterford or Wexford? Please let me know thanks
Gerard, both makey uppy sky fairies are as bad as each other… as are their brainwashed followers.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of who Tariq is;
1) Some guy from Waterford
2) A Hasbara Troll from Israel
3) A troll from the mosque in Clonskeagh
4) Petr Tarasov
5) Richard Cheney
6) Diarmuid the Gorilla
7) Kanye West
you forgot me too apparently
I do apologise Jester, I haven’t seen that accusation just yet, although it is an honour to be associated with you sir, I admire your work.
But is murder murder Dave sometimes, say killing Stalin, Hitler, Blair or Bush when they were younger?
Watch out folks, someone found their older brothers Slayer tapes from the 80′s
did they play them backwards?
Christ illusion on repeat.
“I would urge anyone not to approach people they see hanging around the church”
Too right, avoid priests and clergy at all costs. Good advice,Padre.
Why does it make the news every single time someone defaces a church or church property? What’s so special about them that they be given such reportage?
“A satanic attack” ?!? Would you g’way and fcuk off lad.
§★§
«β※\μ°….beelsibub
Just as likely that it was someone with a grudge that decided to put the most offensive thing they could. Not necessarily ideology driven
A bunch of kids on their summer holidays arsing about. I used to have pentagrams all over my schoolbag in the 90s, along with acid smiley faces and anarchy symbols. All harmless enough. It’s the criminal damage not the content that’s the issue. No need for a satanic panic.
Turn a pentagram upside down and it becomes a sparkly little star.
Idiots with markers.
Agreed. They could as easily written “i love sex”….kids acting the bollixx. Its not satanic its just vandalism. They prob thought they were gas as a gang but probably all going to bed tonight sheeting bricks that lucifer is on his way to donegal….
Yes, but did you ever do this and have you ever set fire to a church or crucified any animal to Satan?
Scrawny middle class teenage virgins, guaranteed
My guess is an abuse victim of some kind
Satanists are more likely to abuse, I think?
Satan has far less blood on his hands in the Bible.
Too be honest it alsways struck me as we only have Gods word on it.
Last i checked the Devil hasent written a book, god might just be taken smack about the Devil, hurting his street cred.
Yeah if you’re going to quote Jim Jefferies jokes the very least you could do is to credit it to him.
They’re just doing a good cop bad cop routine
Ah lad isn’t Jim Jefferies pure savage in fairness?
I love Jim Jeffries !
‘savage in fairness’…=?
No God. No Devil.
Just good v evil conditioning.
You have read the Bible wrong then, the Bible is the story about Gods plan for Israel and how Satan is trying to prevent this plan for humanities savour through Israel. That is what the Bible is about?
There’s a lot more satanic stuff going on in Donegal over the years, including politicians and the Gardai in the Mary Boyle case.
Was there some sort of Satanic cult or ritual involved in the Mary Boyle case involving top brass in the area ? Just wondering because I watch alot of David Icke material and it seems this type of sick acts involving children is rampant amount the elites. Honest question.
david icke? watch out he’ll accuse you of being a shape-shifting lizard
@,Jester, hes being bang on on alot of predictions. Not sure about the lizard race though.
Do you reckon he’s bang on about the moon being a spaceship?
What about his holocaust denial?
No mal, I don’t agree with any of the extraterrestrial shit. Just the geo political stuff. In relation to the holocausts denial I have no opinion as I have not done any research on it.
Ok, I’m interested. What could such a delusional man get “bang on” re: geopolitics?
The real reason and causes to wars, terrorist attacks every day situations and events, stories in the media and the real reason these stories are in it. Look at his you tube channel and come back to me but when he starts talking shite about Aliens, lizards etc forget about it.
Blaming it on satanic stuff lets the wrong doers off the hook.
Just as there’s no god, there’s no Satan either. It’s just a character from a book.
I’m talking about satanic as in evil, not a cult.
Any chance that you have any evidence you could point towards? Or are you intentionally trying to deflect attention from the real case?
he includes ‘lord of the rings’ references into his arguments these days, like seamlessly with references to current stuff, politics and history. Like he either believes tolkien world is real or he is blatantly or openly taking the plss at this stage.
Jester, you know the top brass in the Free Masons have ceremonies invoking the spirit of Apollo to influence politicians like the President of the U.S. Even the statue of liberty is based on Apollo and Apollo is very close to what the devil is and very close to the spanish word pollo (now that is funny).
Alter cloth????
Or Altar Cloth………….?
It this happened to a mosque would be first item on RTE and BBC news
Rise of Islamophia in Europe
it was altered anyway.
A tip that’s got me by with my table cloth is to just turn it over.
im just surprised no one is trying to connect it to ISIS
Probably someone with mental health issues.
Liam your defense of ISIS is great but this is not an attach on Islam
A mosque in Lyon, France was burned out last week.it didnt make most channels…
a good mass will sort the whole situation right out
Hail Satin!
Satin is great but I prefer a bit of silk all the same
Hail Santa!
He gave me presents for years!
I bet the devil made them do it
What Devil?
Sammael…
Altar please.
any Satinists Ive met have been decent folk, I think they get a bad rap. Bored teenagers Iw would have thought more likely
Much prefer Cottonists meself. Satin doesn’t absorb outer sweat as well. S A T A N
The Satanic Temple are particularly brilliant, exercising their right to freedom of religion and equal representation when it comes to religious (ie Christian) interference.
Some kid has been listening to Norwegian Black Metal. Its the Norwegians fault!
Eurovision’s I think?
Don’t bother to proof read and don’t bother to correct mistakes in their sub heading up to two and a half hours later – a fine publication this is.
Wasn’t me I never stepped in to a church.
There’s a lot of big eared boys up in that part of the world if you get my drift. Strange folk indeed.
No I don’t, explain what you mean.
I think he means sheep, Inishowen is full of them, who knew !
Ears as love handles???
Did anyone see Satan? Of course not
After death, who knows?
Could someone be saying something to the world??
Read “occult symbols scrawled amongst other occult symbols”.
Its the work of the devil i tells ya!
Shocking.
Join the great Illuminati church of devils to be rich famous and powerful, to ride upon the high place of the earth and to live without pains and poverty.
Email or call and do all it takes to say goodbye to poverty and say welcome to riches for ever.
If you like to be a born again member of this church just email us at…..churchofdevils666@hotmail.com or call lord Denis in Kenya +254731601758 or Lord Rich +2348137342387 for immediate initiation.
3 is a magic number… It is for true Satanists…
have your say