Now it's over, where did they go wrong and right?

djk1000

Bit of a free debate on the rights and wrongs of the budget, anyone??

dcr22B

Personally, I can't believe that he didn't touch VAT to try and stimulate some consumer confidence.

I'll be continuing to head North every 4 weeks for my big shop so!

Orion

It's a crap budget. It is not going to solve any problems and may even make things worse. He admitted a few days ago that raising VAT was a mistake but he hasn't rectified it. He didn't touch petrol/alcohol as people would buy up North but he's taken an extra 3% off gross income so there's less money to spend anywhere.

When is this idiot going to learn that you cannot tax your way out of recession? He needed to throw a bone to encourage people to spend and improve consumer confidence. He's done the opposite.

Resi12

Who is the guy speaking now? And why isn't he where Brian Cowen is???

Fromvert

ok, i would be in favour of some sort of college fees being introduced. Am a student now and will be for the next two years.

Xavi, how did the points system discriminate against you? The way I see it, study, get the points you need and get in your chosen course.

ixoy

They didn't do enough - that's my immediate reaction. Unless I've missed something, I'm only losing 1% more of my wage - I should be losing more (regardless of whether or not I want to).

Where are the spending cuts as well? Do they honestly think the 50-year old retirement for the civil service is enough? It seems remarkably short sighted. We need to reduce our costs.

Villain

They totally bottled it, the cuts were not deep enough and the increases not high enough, 3.3bn is not half enough.

They have put off the pain and by the time it comes the cuts needed then will be huge

Tom65

Can some tell me where they'll get the extra revenue? It seems to me it's just small cuts in most places. Income levies aside, is there anything that substantive?

mike65

It all came in a rush but my feeling is that there is far greater emphisis on taxing than cutting thus it appears the slump will be extended rather than shortened.

jos28

Resi12 wrote: »

Who is the guy speaking now? And why isn't he where Brian Cowen is???

Best post of the day

Cyrus

this has put the final nail in their coffin, instead of addressing the issues they just tried tax the bejaysus out of everything

vat needed to decrease to stimulate growth, social welfare cut 15%, civil service trimmed, and it all still needs to happen

fuppin idiots

Orion

ixoy wrote: »

They didn't do enough - that's my immediate reaction. Unless I've missed something, I'm only losing 1% more of my wage - I should be losing more (regardless of whether or not I want to)..

3% - 1% income levy + 2% health levy - both charged on gross income.

Rb

mike65 wrote: »

It all came in a rush but my feeling is that there is far greater emphisis on taxing than cutting thus it appears the slump will be extended rather than shortened.

Indeed.

Today has merely solified the opinions of those who believe this government is not fit to run this country.

djk1000

Early retirement at 50 for civil servants, if they want it. Am I missing something or do they get a defined benefit pension for longer and a tax free lump sum to start? Don't mean to get into the rights and wrongs of it, but it's not cashflow positive, it will cost more in the short term and long term, not less.

jos28

Stealing Christmas from pensioners could be his biggest mistake. Seriously bad move

puglover

Ridiculous.

No cut on VAT.

Increased taxes for those in employment + you're fecked altogether if work and have kids.

Should've have been much more cuts to expenditure.

Would do them no harm to employ a couple of qualified Economists for the next budget.

John mac

just waiting to hit us with property tax, and Carbon tax (whatever form that will take) in Dec,

he did mention a lot of things that will have to be done,

so he could tell us in December we were warned.

Alcatel

It was a small minded budget, and they did small minded things. That's likely the idea, set us up for a major hit and then let us down gently, real spindoctor stuff. They'll run another budget in a few months.

That's if they're smart and are planning this well. They could be stupid and this could be a prelude to an election when it falls down. But I'm reluctant to cry wolf.

Nody

Missing a great oppertunity to actually lead and do some very much needed reforms and cust cutting. With 30 Bil each in Social welfare and Social Insurance alone there could have been some noticable cost savings and ram it down the unions throat.

Over all it is a budget that I'd expect to have seen in October when things started to look bad, not now when things have really gone bad.

Peyton Manning

jos28 wrote: »

Stealing Christmas from pensioners could be his biggest mistake. Seriously bad move

Eh, what!?

Villain

John mac wrote: »

just waiting to hit us with property tax, and Carbon tax (whatever form that will take) in Dec,

he did mention a lot of things that will have to be done,

so he could tell us in December we were warned.

December could well be too late though, we needed the pain now.

Spud83

The worst part is that he kept warning that it will be worse in Decembers budget and people will be paying more tax then. Way to improve consumer confidence and get people spending again.

Everybody will be hoarding every cent they have now meaning a evening greater gap in the public finances due to decreased tax income.

djk1000

Does the end to social welfare Christmas bonus include state pensioners??

A-Trak

ixoy wrote: »

They didn't do enough - that's my immediate reaction. Unless I've missed something, I'm only losing 1% more of my wage - I should be losing more (regardless of whether or not I want to).

Where are the spending cuts as well? Do they honestly think the 50-year old retirement for the civil service is enough? It seems remarkably short sighted. We need to reduce our costs.

Totally agree with this. Doesn't give me any confidence at all.
Reckon we'll be in a worse position come December:(

li@mo

MINI BUDGET didnt turn out quite as good as I'd imagined...............

Resi12

Lions' lead by Donkey's!!!

Ahahahahaha best quote EVER!

Why is it that everyone but FF are making sense?
I am appauled that people voted them in I really and truly am.

damoz

alanmurphy83 wrote: »

The worst part is that he kept warning that it will be worse in Decembers budget and people will be paying more tax then. Way to improve consumer confidence and get people spending again.

Everybody will be hoarding every cent they have now meaning a evening greater gap in the public finances due to decreased tax income.

+1

I didnt like the tone of the speech - the words "downward sprial" were even mentioned. Talk about instilling confidence internationally... wach the ISEQ for the next week.

Alcatel

The VAT thing is a killer. Read the official document, only mention of VAT is a little thing for car sales. F*** the rest of ye, I suppose is the message.

This is either complete genius, or there's an election coming.

Thumpette

Didnt affect me too much at all- think im losing about 25 euros a month.

Was happy at first but thinking about it all this means is that they didnt man up and make the unpopular decisions.

Gurgle

Who got hammered:
Middle income PAYE workers with kids.

What didn't get touched:
section 23 property
2nd 'homes'
artists
horse breeders
pension contributions

Who is getting rewarded:
building developers
bankers

Pretty much as expected then.

jim o doom

removing the teachers pensions for the ministers, removing long service payments and lowering TD expenses were good.. but that lowering should have been about 40% instead of 10%.

Also "reviewing" TDs salaries to bring them in line with their euro counterparts is a smart move as well - the above obviously not saving much over all, but at least showing the scum in power are willing to take a bit of a hit as well..

undecided about the rest - I don't smoke tobacco, but I think raising the cusom excise on cigarettes is retarded, plenty of my friends can get their illegal import cheapo cigaretts, or anyone doing their shopping northwards can acquire cheap smokes, so thats pointless..

and nothing whatsoever to stimulate growth or increase jobs. smart move.