Department of Foreign Affairs officials have been discussing the still-controversial closure of the Vatican embassy 26 months ago. It has since been decided to reopen it.
After a draft budget contained a near €6 million cut to services for homeless people, Dublin City Council tonight passed a budget that increases these supports.
There are proposals to bring the pay-and-file date forward to as early as June next year so the Department of Finance has all the data needed ahead of the October Budget.
Budget 2014 hit the most vulnerable elements of society – not the young, the sick, the old, or pregnant alone. We need to show intergenerational solidarity and stand together against this injustice, writes Peter Kavanagh.
Health Minister James Reilly has been under increasing pressure since confirmation last Tuesday that a further €666 million is to be taken out of the Health Budget in 2014.
Cuts to medical card allowances and social welfare payments have a direct impact on peoples’ the mental health – I know because I am one of those affected, writes Kate Bellamy.
Not all families NEED help in sending their children to a GP – but the Government is ignoring that in a cynical ploy to curry favour with the electorate.
The alliance of Fine Gael rebels will not be taking a collective stance on the Budget but have already sharply criticised some measures being introduced by the government.
PROPERTY TAX COULD be reduced in areas with a higher concentration of businesses, according to a report in the Irish Times today.
Fine Gael’s local election manifesto will contain a commitment to reduce the tax in areas where the local authority receives higher commercial rates, the newspaper says.
This means that rural areas are unlikely to benefit as there are generally fewer businesses operating in them.
We want to know what you think: Should people living in areas with more businesses pay less property tax?
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