No extra taxes or spending cuts needed - good news before the Budget

A Department of Finance White Paper says the country can hit deficit targets without upheaval.

THE GOVERNMENT CAN hit its Budget deficit targets without any increase in taxes or cuts to public spending.

That is the finding of the estimates of receipts and expenditure released by the Department of Finance today.

The paper shows that the government is on track to have a 2.4% budget deficit next year, comfortably inside the 3% limit. Today’s estimates say that this year will see a deficit of 3.7%. Spending cuts and an increased tax take will bridge the gap.

That opens up the possibility that Tuesday’s Budget will see spending increases, with reports today suggesting that anywhere from €400 million to €500 million will be added to the public purses, with health and education tipped to receive the bulk of the increases.

Read: Is Sinn Féin really proposing a 73 per cent tax rate?

Read: What would the Greens do in Government? … Build, build, build

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