Budget 2018 - Mod note in post #1

Geuze

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

What is amount you can earn without paying tax, is that a stupid question?
Does everyone pay USC, or is there a threshold

16,500

USC threshold is 13,000

Hitman3000

Cork Truck Driver wrote:

Prime time is like a load of oul ones bickering at bingo.

Not one of them on less than a 100k a year justifying a 2 euro+ a week increase to the plebs.

Hitman3000

tayto lover wrote:

If you work in this country you're screwed.BUT if you lie in bed you get extras. Time the workers stood up for themselves.

So when are you going on the dole if it's so good?

boardsuser1

Hitman3000 wrote: »

So when are you going on the dole if it's so good?

Has anyone done the maths to see how much that panel are better off as a result of the budget?

Combined or individually.

K-Zap is talking a load of bollox.

Does Pearse Doherty ever listen back on what he says?

He's rambling on about all sorts of figures, but if it came down to it would these figures work in reality?

MayoSalmon

Cork Truck Driver wrote:

He's rambling on about all sorts of figures, but if it came down to it would these figures work in reality?

Cork Truck Driver wrote:

Does Pearse Doherty ever listen back on what he says?

He would just put a 90% tax on all the Richard Bransons walking around Dublin...the figures will write themselves sure

Geuze

VLWI



http://www.publicpolicy.ie/one-fifth-of-households-have-little-work/

http://www.publicpolicy.ie/wp-content/uploads/Redmond2016.pdf

Straffan1979

Total bullsh1t budget; Do these people think we were born yesterday-a lousy € fiver a week -FFS, an embarrassment-an INSULT to working people.

There's a new 'old reliable' now. It's called the USC- an emergency tax measure that we'll pay for the rest of our days.

It's simple . The working poor want rid of this USC. We don't want your €fiver- we want a road map out of USC where people can get paid for their hard earned work/ overtime /24hr rosters etc without being constantly hammered down.

Nobody will buy this FG 3 card trick. This opens the door for FF landslide in the next election.

And to add insult to injury who are the big winners today- the construction industry charlatans that got us into this mess to begin with. Next stop an expensive tribunal for the taxpayer into the operation of NAMA- a government sponsored secret society ...... rant over

Geuze

People aged less than 60 living in households with very low work intensity, 2014–15 (%)

Geuze

Sierra Oscar

A fairly decent budget all in all, no major surprises. It's good to see the commercial sector are being asked to pay their fair share of taxes when it comes to the construction industry, although we have to be careful that we don't become too reliant on tax receipts that could plummet with the slightest hint of an international downturn (we're due one too, the Great Recession was nearly a decade ago at this stage).

I really hope we don't have this expectation that social welfare payments will be increased by €5 in every budget from here on in. The social welfare bill is already starting to swell. I'd like to see investment in services, the €301m social welfare package would have a significant impact on services if it was targeted.

Geuze

Straffan1979 wrote: »

It's simple . The working poor want rid of this USC. We don't want your €fiver- we want a road map out of USC where people can get paid for their hard earned work/ overtime /24hr rosters etc without being constantly hammered down.

Note that for many, USC is less than the two previous taxes it replaced: the Income and Health levies.

Also note that the plan is to merger USC and PRSI.

suicide_circus

Varadkar fails to deliver.

Sierra Oscar

Geuze wrote: »

Note that for many, USC is less than the two previous taxes it replaced: the Income and Health levies.

A lot of people forget that the USC replaced both the income levy and the health levy. It cannot be abolished. Politicians who claim that it can are being reckless in the extreme.

boardsuser1

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

A lot of people forget that the USC replaced both the income levy and the health levy. It cannot be abolished. Politicians who claim that it can are being reckless in the extreme.

They can merge it to make it look like it has gone away.

pilly

Straffan1979 wrote:

Nobody will buy this FG 3 card trick. This opens the door for FF landslide in the next election.

FF are just as responsible for this budget.

VinLieger

pilly wrote: »

FF are just as responsible for this budget.

Yeah but even though their finger prints are all over it their name isnt on it and in the memory of the irish electorate thats all that matters unfortunately

MayoSalmon

pilly wrote:

FF are just as responsible for this budget.

Main culprits to be honest...reigned in Leo's tax cuts dramatically to give dole heads a fiver

pilly

VinLieger wrote:

Yeah but even though their finger prints are all over it their name isnt on it and in the memory of the irish electorate thats all that matters unfortunately

I disagree. I give Irish people more credit. Anyone I know is fully aware that there are 2 parties responsible for what's going on at the moment.

Problem is where are the viable alternatives?

Anyway that's off topic I suppose.

eagle eye

When the honest hardworking citizen is getting less from a budget than the lad not working then it's time to vote for somebody else.

The country is in good enough shape to put a few euro back in the working man's pocket. This will generate more business and put the country in better financial shape.

I hate to say this but we need to put the crooks that are Fianna Fail back in power.

Straffan1979

pilly wrote: »

FF are just as responsible for this budget.

But nicely covered from the firing line when it comes to the ballot box all the same

Straffan1979

Geuze wrote: »

Note that for many, USC is less than the two previous taxes it replaced: the Income and Health levies.

Also note that the plan is to merger USC and PRSI.

not the 'many' I know- want to win the next election get rid of USC; its toxic - it constantly reminds people we're paying for the Celtic Tiger every week u open the payslip.

hmmm

The social welfare increases for certain categories (long term unemployed) are clearly playing out very badly. Someone has to own this measure, and unless FG come out very clearly and say that their hand was forced on this, they will own it politically.

Hitman3000

hmmm wrote:

The social welfare increases for certain categories (long term unemployed) are clearly playing out very badly. Someone has to own this measure, and unless FG come out very clearly and say that their hand was forced on this, they will own it politically.

Ultimately FG are responsible as they are in government. Opposition doesn't write the budget.

Idbatterim

pilly wrote: »

I disagree. I give Irish people more credit. Anyone I know is fully aware that there are 2 parties responsible for what's going on at the moment.

Problem is where are the viable alternatives?

Anyway that's off topic I suppose.

Viable alternatives. Renua in my opinion. But we will be landed with fg and ff circus for decades to come most likely.

Let me also point out and this is nearly beyond belief. Allegedly ff didn't insist on increases to the dole. This was fg!!! fg!!! After their last perceived poor general election showing " a recovery for everyone " they've now gone possibly more populist than ff. they nearly know people have nowhere else to go so can get away with this ****. I hope people vote Renua in their droves next time round. That is the only thing that will change it.

BoatMad

Hitman3000 wrote: »

Ultimately FG are responsible as they are in government. Opposition doesn't write the budget.

FF themselves claimed they wrote half of it , had it been FGs there would have been greater tax cuts and less welfare rises IMHO.

BoatMad

Viable alternatives. Renua in my opinion.

wed be more likely to see the Yeti walk down O'connell st

BoatMad

Let me also point out and this is nearly beyond belief. Allegedly ff didn't insist on increases to the dole. This was fg!!! fg!!! After their last perceived poor general election showing " a recovery for everyone " they've now gone possibly more populist than ff. they nearly know people have nowhere else to go so can get away with this ****. I hope people vote Renua in their droves next time round. That is the only thing that will change it.

I find this hard to believe, FG were forced by FF to alot 2:1 spending against tax cuts , Matty mcGrath claims FF wrote half the budget

BoatMad

Straffan1979 wrote: »

Total bullsh1t budget; Do these people think we were born yesterday-a lousy € fiver a week -FFS, an embarrassment-an INSULT to working people.

There's a new 'old reliable' now. It's called the USC- an emergency tax measure that we'll pay for the rest of our days.

It's simple . The working poor want rid of this USC. We don't want your €fiver- we want a road map out of USC where people can get paid for their hard earned work/ overtime /24hr rosters etc without being constantly hammered down.

Nobody will buy this FG 3 card trick. This opens the door for FF landslide in the next election.

And to add insult to injury who are the big winners today- the construction industry charlatans that got us into this mess to begin with. Next stop an expensive tribunal for the taxpayer into the operation of NAMA- a government sponsored secret society ...... rant over

you sound like neither a FF or FG voter , so you not the target

this was a very centrist budget , largely designed to ring fence the left and particular SF. Polls consistently show people currently prefer spending on services over tax cuts

Thats what happened, big spending in heath and education , houses etc

Idbatterim

BoatMad wrote: »

wed be more likely to see the Yeti walk down O'connell st

People have a large issue with the welfare increases. Voting for any of the alternatives is now a blatant waste of time. The Irish version of the torries i.e. Fg, would probably be deemed left of centre in U.K.!!!

Anyone pissec off about he situation and there are a serious number all over social media and under comments section on newspapers, well, if you havent woken up and smelled the coffee fool me once ... we've been taken for a ride too many times...

Idbatterim

BoatMad wrote: »

you sound like neither a FF or FG voter , so you not the target

this was a very centrist budget , largely designed to ring fence the left and particular SF. Polls consistently show people currently prefer spending on services over tax cuts

Thats what happened, big spending in heath and education , houses etc

Who prefers it? Not workers I'm sure. The legions on welfare contributing nothing maybe. Our left wing media maybe. Special shout out to rte...

server down

If the average (or median I suppose) worker is getting 250 extra a year then the average and below average worker is getting less than welfare.

That’s a strange budget for fg.

NinetyTwoTeam

Even with this second consecutive increases the dole is still lower than it was 11 years ago. Cost of living has gone up massively in that time.

We're nowhere near full employment, if we were then the government wouldn't have needed another silly scheme like Jobpath.

If you want my weekly fiver idbatterim, I'll give it to ya, it's clearly causing you more distress than it will do to improve my life.

BoatMad

Idbatterim wrote: »

Who prefers it? Not workers I'm sure. The legions on welfare contributing nothing maybe. Our left wing media maybe. Special shout out to rte...

The welfare and OAP stuff clearly has FF written all over it, FG was originally more forced on tax cuts,

increased spending on heath and other services is a general feedback from polls that both parties took heed of. Their is actually no demand from polls that significant tax cuts be forthcoming ( nor would it be right in a growing economy , arguably leading to a over heat )

Hitman3000

BoatMad wrote:

FF themselves claimed they wrote half of it , had it been FGs there would have been greater tax cuts and less welfare rises IMHO.

FF can claim what they like. FG are in the driving seat.

BoatMad

Idbatterim wrote: »

Who prefers it? Not workers I'm sure. The legions on welfare contributing nothing maybe. Our left wing media maybe. Special shout out to rte...

polls, at the moment, have consistently shown that people want better services and not tax cuts at present , thats a simple fact

the fact that " some" want tax cuts doesnt invalidate the polls

BoatMad

Straffan1979 wrote: »

not the 'many' I know- want to win the next election get rid of USC; its toxic - it constantly reminds people we're paying for the Celtic Tiger every week u open the payslip.

very progressive tax, unlikely to be removed , far too useful

BoatMad

Straffan1979 wrote: »

But nicely covered from the firing line when it comes to the ballot box all the same

I personally think the budget will be seen as underwhelming but not negative for both FF and FG

The centre will get a lift from this and this is precisely the political objective

personally its a reasonable budget given the fiscal space, in fact Im surprised he had any money at all to spend

BoatMad

eagle eye wrote: »

When the honest hardworking citizen is getting less from a budget than the lad not working then it's time to vote for somebody else.

The country is in good enough shape to put a few euro back in the working man's pocket. This will generate more business and put the country in better financial shape.

I hate to say this but we need to put the crooks that are Fianna Fail back in power.

what a bizarre confusion , given that FF wrote half this budget and largely the half that increased spending

The country is in good enough shape to put a few euro back in the working man's pocket

when a country is in " good shape" thats precisely the time NOT to give any tax cuts, surely 2000+ has shown you that . All you do is overheat the economy and drive up prices and then wage demands

put the country in better financial shape.

its in grand shape , steady as she goes ...

Idbatterim

http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/the-floating-voter-prebudget-podcast-is-the-government-putting-too-much-focus-on-social-welfare-36209823.html

This podcast before yesterday's budget hits the nail on the head...

jk23

The USC should have been abolished. PRSI should be halved for one week and not charged at all coming up to Christmas for anyone in full time employment and not charged at all for part time workers in this time frame. I don’t begrudge anyone on social welfare. Not everyone signing on is a scrounger and the rate of unemployment shows the majority of people who weren’t in employment circa 2009-2014 were genuinely seeking work but couldn’t get it because of the economic climate

BoatMad

Hitman3000 wrote: »

FF can claim what they like. FG are in the driving seat.

FG are not in the driving seat . that the point in the minority Gov

"“We will continue to pursue a package for people on fixed incomes and welfare payments. It won’t be miserly.” McGrath FF

Hitman3000

BoatMad wrote:

FG are not in the driving seat . that the point in the minority Gov

FG are in the driving seat, you can claim otherwise all you wish. If of course FG are unhappy with the budget they can vote against. It would be interesting to see a government collapse itself.

Straffan1979

BoatMad wrote: »

you sound like neither a FF or FG voter , so you not the target

this was a very centrist budget , largely designed to ring fence the left and particular SF. Polls consistently show people currently prefer spending on services over tax cuts

Thats what happened, big spending in heath and education , houses etc

'You sound like neither a FF or FG voter'- and I'm not a labour or Sinn Fein voter either- you'd be surprised how many of the working electorate now fall into this bracket IMO- the squeezed middle with nowhere to go. Id nearly let SF at it at this stage to see how they get on. Renua was such a cluster **** from day 1- back to voting independent again to get ur potholes fixed.

Totally agree on whats been said here on social welfare- too much thrown at it again and again in an effort to stem the growth of SF. Blind freddy knows the amount of fraud in this area is staggering.

I personally know someone working in a post office. Farmers/builders labourers etc wandering in collecting wads of cash for back dated dole. Scams with disability / carers allowance are rampant but nobody will touch it with a barge pole-I see families on welfare heading off on 2 holidays a year with the rest of us working.No no no-this has to stop.

Wheeliebin30

Straffan1979 wrote: »

'You sound like neither a FF or FG voter'- and I'm not a labour or Sinn Fein voter either- you'd be surprised how many of the working electorate now fall into this bracket IMO- the squeezed middle with nowhere to go. Id nearly let SF at it at this stage to see how they get on. Renua was such a cluster **** from day 1- back to voting independent again to get ur potholes fixed.

Totally agree on whats been said here on social welfare- too much thrown at it again and again in an effort to stem the growth of SF. Blind freddy knows the amount of fraud in this area is staggering.

I personally know someone working in a post office. Farmers/builders labourers etc wandering in collecting wads of cash for back dated dole. Scams with disability / carers allowance are rampant but nobody will touch it with a barge pole-I see families on welfare heading off on 2 holidays a year with the rest of us working.No no no-this has to stop.

Well Leo suggested telling on people you suspect of welfare fraud.

He was nearly lynched in the Dail and the general public came up with sure the bankers and all that.

Society needs to grow up in Ireland and only then will real change happen at the top.

Trampas

Why do social protection department need more money when there are more people working?

Where's all that money gone?

Wheeliebin30

Trampas wrote: »

Why do social protection department need more money when there are more people working?

Where's all that money gone?

Seems we have the highest disability claimees in Europe, a lot of it there.

Donal55

Niall Collins speaking now on NT and FF taking credit for Teachers, self employed, housing, & increased health funding.

No mention of the €5 for the dolies in any of the mix.

boardsuser1

Will this budget influence how people vote in the next election?

If FF take responsibility for half the budget are they targeting the much adored and loyal grey vote?

Donal55

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

Will this budget influence how people vote in the next election?

If FF take responsibility for half the budget are they targeting the much adored and loyal grey vote?

Some journo made the salient point yesterday in that Mc Grath FF spent most of his time yesterday in his speech criticising SF rather than debating on the finer points of the budget.

This is 2/3 of the way back now for FF to assume the mantle and prepare themselves for the next election.

Hitman3000

Wheeliebin30 wrote:

Well Leo suggested telling on people you suspect of welfare fraud.

Even senior officials in the Dept of Social Protection basically called B.S. on Leo's claims of fraud.