Ireland the land of taxes and endless "fees"

Juran

1.3 million to recieve xmas welfare bonus (irish times today). I dont begruge carers, disabled, elderly on state pensions only, etc.. I do not agree with Job seekers (more than 1 year on JSa) recieving this bonus payment. Who the hell gave ministers this mandate ? I cant recall any party saying they were going to reward people who refuse to work or contribute to our society. What about the mandate 'make work pay' as the previous poster said.

Land of taxes and fees indeed, sure we have to keep paying to make sure these people get their bonuses (who must be flat out seeking jobs the past 5, 10, 20, 30 years)

Geuze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119947375#Comment_119947375

I'm not sure if I would reduce the 17k starting point of income tax.

But I would reduce the point at which PRSI starts, to 100pw / 5200 pa.

Yes, this does mean part-timers, students, etc. paying more.

Social insurance is built on solidarity, and solidarity means everybody contributing at least something, maybe even 4%.

I would abolish JSA, so that alternative would not exist.

Geuze

Yes, giving a double welfare payment to long-term unemployed on JSA, and not giving it to JSB, is particularly crazy.

10000maniacs

The stamp duty (substantial back in the day) you originally paid on your house (incidentally with money you paid PAYE and PRSI on already) should be refunded in full in lieu of the property tax.

Quadruple taxing of the same money.

They should not be allowed to have it both ways.

maninasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119944295#Comment_119944295

Dont agree, its one of the few benefits that middle class folks can get.

Murph85

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/social-affairs/2022/12/02/more-than-13-million-people-to-receive-state-christmas-bonus-from-next-week/

Brilliant use of hundreds of millions. Norhing for the many poverty case workers though...

mikemac2

Edited out

65535

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058273068/ireland-the-land-of-taxes-and-endless-fees

This is where those taxes go

Defence department hiring civilian for €151k role to spearhead new change plan

https://www.thejournal.ie/irish-defence-forces-department-of-defence-transformation-head-5936575-Dec2022/

If you think that ANYONE is worth €151,000 a year - (€3,000 a week - almost €100 for one hour) then you will know where the money goes.

eggy81

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119929992#Comment_119929992

Don’t we have one of the highest healthcare budgets per head in the world. The money gets spent but it’s how it’s spent or wasted is the problem. There’s reform needed badly in some areas of public service.

That’s a whole other thread though

ELM327

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119951691#Comment_119951691

Wouldnt you prefer to pay less tax, rather than paying in and getting back less.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119956917#Comment_119956917

Yes, per capita we spend one of the most in the EU. Its wasted on middle management though. We don't pay our nurses etc enough, and we pay joan in accounts too much

maninasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119958128#Comment_119958128

Yes would prefer to pay less tax but that isn't how it works, usually we pay more tax but get less back.

Is the HSE buffer inflated because they have many claims and also cover some social welfare payments too?

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119959260#Comment_119959260

Yes, to the latter question. Ireland accounts for carer's benefits (i.e. social welfare payments to people who care for sick or disabled family members) as an item of healthcare expenditure. Many other countries allocate some or all of this expenditure to social care rather than healthcare. Similarly, Ireland allocates spending on residential services and community services for the elderly and people with disabilities to healthcare expenditures; not all countries do this. These differences in accounting treatment complicate inter-country comparisons of healthcare expenditure.

As for the cost of negligence/malpractice claims against the health services, I don't know if this introduces a distortion. Some countries have no-fault compensation arrangements for medical accidents - i.e. if you are injured in a medical accident you get compensation without having to show that anyone is at fault. This may be more efficient than the Irish negligence-based system. It may also be that in countries with such an arrangement, the compensation payments are not accounted for as health expenditure. But I don't know if this factor is big enough to be significant when comparing healthcare expenditures measured in tens of billions.

Mobius2021

Many Irish people I think favour higher taxes across a wide variety of areas. The nuance is that they only favour higher taxes in areas that don't affect them as individuals. Without a general public that is pushing for lower taxes politicians will never see it as an agenda item.

For example lower earners want a higher income tax rate on higher earners (the rich). High earners want more lower earners in the tax net as they feel they don't really contribute anything at all. People want to see higher taxes on landlords as they see them as the main cause of the housing crisis. Those that don't see themselves getting much of an inheritance want higher inheritance taxes as they see the concept of inheritance as unfair.

We love taxes in this country.

fliball123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119962534#Comment_119962534

Just one thing with your theory and I can see your argument but we are now a left leaning country. There are a certain cohort of people who pay lots of tax and get very little in return and its these people who are always left paying the bill when sh1t hits the fan so you will forgive this cohort if they are finally waking up to the reality of how unfair our tax regime is in this country. We have a welfare system that is competing with low paying jobs with all the freebies for popping out a kid or sitting on your hole, We have subsidies and a tax regime at lower end of wage that competes with middle income wages and higher income earners are hit with an atrociously high rate of tax at a very low level of income. Inheritance is money that has already been taxed I find it incredible that people do not see this that the government feel its their right to take a cut out of a persons wealth after a life time of building it up to leave for their kids. So those not working or paying very little tax can quite frankly go and k1ss my hole if they want more taxes I get a p1ss poor return and I am sick of seeing the system being played by those on welfare and those in the public sector clock watching their way to pensions. If the government want more money they simply need to cut the fat and make it more attractive to work and less attractive to sit on your hole

Mobius2021

I agree with you 100%! I was pointing out some of the hypocrisy I see in this country around tax.

I was genuinely shocked when I saw the government looking to introduce a higher level of Jobseekers Benefit for those above a certain wage who lose their jobs. This is exactly what should have been done years ago - providing a decent safety net for working people. Now If our politicians can realise that allowing some people game the system and make a career out of not working is not a good idea we would really be moving in the right direction. JobSeekers allowance along with the associated benefits and bonus is a much better role than many low to medium paying jobs.