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THE GOVERNMENT’S NEXT budget, the last before the next general election to be announced in October, will contain an additional €1.4 billion in tax cuts and spending.
The coalition’s spring economic statement is due to be released tomorrow and will set out Ireland’s proposed economic direction for the next five years.
The spring statement is to be announced following a cabinet meeting, but it’s details have been learned in advance by the Irish Times.
Ireland’s economy is expected to expand at a greater rate than predicted in last October’s budget, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP - a measure of the total income generated in an economy over a period) now expected to increase by 4% this year as opposed to the just under 3% announced in the 2015 budget.
It therefore seems the last budget before the election will be the easiest on the electorate in about six years, after several particularly severe austerity-led budgets in a row.
Reforms to be announced in the statement include:
These are all moves that are likely to go down particularly well with voters, not least the positive news for the self-employed and small businesses, an influential demographic the government is keen to stay onside with.
Ireland’s economy is going through something of a renaissance at present, with 2014 seeing our GDP increasing by 4.3%, almost four times the average for the Eurozone in the same period, and 20 times the growth seen in 2013.
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Just no to this. Children are not the problem.
@Go On: no one said they are. Covid is the problem….along with our inept “leaders”.
@Go On: you’re right. Children aren’t the problem, all people are the problem which is why everyone needs to do their part to try stop it spreading, including children.
@Go On: https://youtu.be/3jFqhjaGh30
Tips to keep children masked? A new low in “journalism “
@Geraldine Kelly: it’s a specific article to help the poor, poor parents amongst us who have to try and parent their children. The rest of us just tell them that it’s only a cheap, tiny piece of cloth that is painless to wear and helps to keep us safe. No drama, no negative vibe, just positive support.
@2thFairy: with all due respect it’s probably aimed at parents and specifically parents of children who avail of SLT. If neither of these relate to you kindly scroll on.
@2thFairy: how does a “cheap, tiny piece of cloth” keep us safe?
Use your hands more? So basically become a little more Italian, I got you, no problem Maldini. I’m not sure about kids looking people in the eye when talking to them though, other than to their parents or friends they tend to look anywhere but eye to eye contact, the floor or the ceiling are the favourites. Mind you I’m like that myself now when I get in trouble with herself.
There are actually masks you can get with a clear panel in the center where the mouth is which allows the mouth to be seen. They were designed for people who would have contact with deaf people who rely on lip reading.
KN95 or FFP2 masks form a kind of bubble over your face. They make it easier to speak and breathe. You can find them online.
Several principals and boards have already said they won’t be sending children who do not choose to wear masks home.
In essence they will make it optional. Which they have not been able to do up until now as the HSE advised against under 12s wearing masks.
One principal voiced his concern in a letter to the Times which was published today.
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/masks-for-primary-school-chilren-1.4744152
Seems to be a bit of kickback on masking young kids so the journal write an article to normalise the whole affair. Great propaganda as per usual.
I will not be taking a lecture
have your say