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WELFARE INCREASES, A rise in carbon tax and a jump in the standard cut-off rate for income tax – these are just some of the things we can expect in October’s Budget, according to Leo Varadkar.
In place of a stage-managed bumper announcement in October (and December before that), Budgets have now become a drip-feed of information beginning earlier and earlier each year.
This year is no different, with the Taoiseach using his pre-holiday briefing with journalists to drop a few hints about what might be coming in autumn.
As usual with kite-flying, mentions of the Budget during silly season (a time when there is a dearth of news for reporters, which the politicians know too well) should be taken with a massive pinch of salt. It is also worth noting that we are over two months out so this is all subject to change.
However, the Taoiseach does have the final say and here’s what he has in mind for Budget 2019 as of right now.
So, what can we expect?
The Taoiseach outlined a number of measures this week but, in short, he wants a balance of spending and tax cuts in October’s Budget.
Varadkar wants the majority of any additional cash to go into improving public infrastructure rather than tax reduction.
The programme for government has committed to a 2:1 ratio between spending on services and tax measures.
“We talked in the past about the proportion of 2:1 but it is going to be much greater than that. There will be a tax package, perhaps similar to last year – relatively modest,” he said.
Income tax
Varadkar said the government’s main focus for the next budget is on the standard cut off point for income tax and the point at which people start paying the higher rate, which is 40%.
Last year, changes to the rate were also made. The entry point for single earners being charged the higher rate of tax increased from €33,800 to €34,550, a rise of €750.
This means that anyone earning under €34,550 is now only charged the normal rate of tax, while those earning over it have seen a slight reduction in the tax that they pay.
The standard rate band for married one-earner couples rose from €42,800 to €43,550.
If Varadkar tinkers with the rate bands again, this will mean more money in a lot of people’s pockets.
Varadkar has said he does want to look at band rates again this year, stating:
People on very modest incomes pay the highest rate of income tax. The average person working full-time in Ireland – if you exclude students and people working part-time work – earns around €40,000-€45,000 a year.
Welfare
The Taoiseach said the government is also looking to increase welfare entitlements.
“In the welfare package in the budget we will be aiming to increase the weekly rates again. We don’t have a figure agreed by any means at this stage, but the aim is to increase it above the rate of inflation thus retaining the value of the current payments,” he said.
Last month, Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty said she plans to do something “significant” in the next Budget to pull thousands of children out of poverty.
However, she gave a strong indication there will not be a repeat of the €5 increase to all weekly social welfare payments across the board, which was announced in last year’s Budget.
When pressed about what drastic action she is planning in October, the minister said she has plans, but would not be sharing them just yet.
However, she added:
It’s not rocket science. We know the challenges that single income, low-income and no income families are facing on a daily basis and we just have to try and address this.
The Taoiseach indicated the government is keen to make improvements to the working family payment.
In terms of other social welfare payments, Varadkar said the government is working on proposals for “a form of Jobseekers [payment] for the self-employed“.
One issue that must be tackled by government is its abysmal climate change record.
In order to improve the country’s performance, the Taoiseach said carbon tax will have to increase over the next couple of years.
“We are also going to do some work on carbon tax. We are very much of the view that if we are going to meet our climate change obligations then we will have to grasp the nettle in increasing the carbon tax over the next couple of years,” he said.
Rise in carbon tax
While carbon tax will rise, the government will introduce compensation measures for some to offset the increase.
He said the government is aware that some people “who are in poverty or who are the most vulnerable can be the worst affected by that so there will have to be compensatory measures”.
Varadkar said he’ll also need to get the green light from Fianna Fáil for this proposal.
We will of course need to talk to the main opposition party about that and agree it at government but we think that [it] is necessary as part of our climate change obligations.
Ireland is falling far short of achieving its 2020, 2030 and 2050 climate change targets.
In a scathing annual report, recently published, the Climate Change Advisory Council said Ireland is in an “even worse position” compared to the previous year as greenhouse gas emissions increased again.
A carbon tax was introduced in Ireland in 2010. It applies to kerosene, marked gas oil, liquid petroleum gas, fuel oil, natural gas and solid fuels.
The rate is currently €20 per tonne. However, the Citizens’ Assembly was told during its sessions on climate change that Ireland would need to introduce a carbon tax as high as €70 on coal, turf and other products to improve emissions targets.
This could mean tax hikes on petrol and diesel, as well as on motor tax for some vehicles.
What else could we see in October?
Varadkar said the Minister for Social Protection is working on proposals for Budget 2019 around parental leave.
This measure will give additional parental leave, on top of the maternity and paternity leave options already in place. Varadkar said it will allow parents share paid leave between them.
Legislation for this is already being drafted, with the Taoiseach stating more details will be announced on Budget day.
Improvements to childcare provision could also be on the cards.
While the so-called “granny grant” might not be a runner (unless Shane Ross sets out clear criteria and enforcement measures), Varadkar indicated there could be improvements to the affordable childcare scheme.
Around 1,000 people could not avail of the scheme due to two department computers not being able to talk to each other, but the Taoiseach said that has all been ironed out with a new analogue system around the GP-access card.
He said the scheme will be fully operational next year.
What else can we expect? Keep an eye out for more kite-flying between now and October. The only guarantee is that they’ll be sighted regularly.
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Just remember to take care of the people working and paying taxes. I’m sick of the freeloaders in the country getting everything handed to them.
@Tellhimwhynot: no such thing as a freeloader, it’s the big shots ripping people off. At the end of the day we are all just customers & consumers, so any increase in sw will just go straight back to the establishment! The government doesn’t care, isn’t it obvious if they don’t care about people dying on the street , why on earth do you think they give a dam if your working your ass off to keep a roof over your head!
@Colette Kearns: if you dont work but able to work then you are a freeloader. I would prefer a system of welfare reduction. You correct though, it doesnt matter what our opinions are, tge worker will be shafted either way.
@Tellhimwhynot: According to the CSO the average salary in Ireland for full time employment is 45k. It is an average though, there are people earning much more and people earning much less.
*Was supoosed to be a response to Morizy below*
@Colette Kearns: of course there are free loaders, the ones that dont work, get handed keys to a brand new apartmet, pay the rent on it out of social welfare payments, and are about to have kid number 4, dont forget they get medical cards, xmas bonus, back to school allowence, fuel allowance, if thats not a freeloader i dont know what is
@Tellhimwhynot: well said my friend, I work in a job that deals with a certain type of individual and I can assure you that people are really not fully aware of the entitlements they get. I’m working my ass off for a wage , and there are times I think to myself is it worth it because if I went on unemployment I would be very very marginally less well off. A certain individual , who was married with 2 kids going to secondary school, told me that he would have to be taking home €800 per week from a job, to match all his entitlements that he would lose by returning to work and as he had no qualifications there was no way he could earn that much so he is staying unemployed. That was some eye opener for me ,I can tell you.
@Colette Kearns: no freeloaders ? My stepsons mother hasn’t worked a day in her life has two children old enough not to need sitters has a council house, has another person living with her and her lone parents, while we work literally just to pay rent and bills and don’t have a chance at having our own house because we don’t earn enough to save. I’ve needed to see a doctor but can’t afford it at the minute while she has her medical card. She gets nights out and had a lovely holiday abroad this summer, while we try and figure out if we could afford to bring the kids to Clara Lara one of the days during the summer. There are plenty of freeloaders and I’m using her as one example. Its totally unfair that working class people have less disposable income than people who literally won’t work.
Scare mongering folks, only fools fall for it.
@Tellhimwhynot: Tell us what these “freeloaders” get. Or are you just one more FG shill banging the drum for Leo the Liar.
@Lauren Anna: My landlord inherited a house and is permanently on holidays and raised the rent. These freeloaders are bleeding ordinary workers dry.
@Tellhimwhynot: Farmers getting 80% subsidies. fake tax returns so their kids go to collage free. they’re the real cheats.
@Michael Byrne: As a person who is not allowed work due to disability but look like a freeloader. I dont know how they pick up that much. I am not even allowed volunteer to do anything. My income is around €15,000 plus medical card and travel not forgetting my tv license. I must be missing out on things I can qualify for so much my other friends who are disabled.
@Dave Doyle: Social housing is a good example. People who could work but don’t getting houses in areas that I and lots of others couldn’t afford to rent in or buy.
10% of new builds are for social housing, so the other 90% are directly subsidising those
@Michael Byrne: are you one of the contrary fcukers behind the glass in the social welfare office michael? Sounds like you are…
@Tellhimwhynot: Im happy for my tax money to be used to help make this country more equal place through welfare.
@Lauren Anna: she sounds like a right piece of work. If she has someone living with her, ie paying her rent then you should report her.
@Tellhimwhynot: What do you mean as free loaders,Iworked all my life and I am entitled to any payment,while you were been educated and fed and clothed your parents worked hard,so be careful who you call a free loader
Lucille ball .Does the truth hurt
@David Grey: no.. I work 40 hrs a week and earn 30,000…
@Tellhimwhynot: Freeloaders like those who expect house owners to pay property tax, while everyone else gets the same council services for free.
@James Mc Loughlin: in my 40′s, worked all my life and put myself thru education. If you refuse to work because benefits are an easier option, you are a freeloader.
@Tellhimwhynot: People are moving entire Continents to get their hands on the SOCIAL WELFARE lifestyle in this country, people with zero ties to this LAND passing through 20 different countries to get HERE because they know they’ll get a FREE HOUSE , GRANTS , and FREE money every WEEK and MONTH to look after their gang of kids. It’s a well travelled road at this stage.
@Shyster Inc Ireland: no mate, you’re just a racist
@Tellhimwhynot: RACIST, BIGOT, XENOPHOBE, same old rubbish spouted by the usual clowns on here. By the way I’m not your MATE
@Lucille Ball: how dare you assume that I work for the social services, I have never worked for them in my life, so kindly apologize and spare yere filthy tongue for those that might deserve it, I work with people that I’m sure you wouldn’t touch with a barge pole and no they do not have any physical or mental disabilities, in case your tiny little brain is wondering.
@Lucille Ball: how come your Facebook page states that you live in Delhi,India. Another troll, me thinks…..
@Gary Kearney: Medical card, rent was €1200 pm, paying €200 pm, that’s €1000 saving straight away, back to school allowances, school book allowances, uniforms allowances, shoes allowances, fuel allowances, free school bus, wife was also get numerous allowances, he worked out the figure over a 12 month period. Some people have a master degree in social services allowances.
@Gary Kearney: Gary you are not a freeloader my friend, you are one of the many thousands of people that are being totally discriminated against by this government and previous governments. I am so fortunate to have my full health and my heart goes out to sufferers of any kind of disability and their families in this so called booming state. Who’s it booming for I wonder, not you, or me . I would gladly pay extra tax to provide for essential services in this country, but then again if that was introduced I sure that intake of cash would find itself any place but where it is neeed.
@Lucille Ball: you must spend a lot in time in the social services office, maybe they don’t like the look of you. Be positive and assume that they are having a bad day, just like you assumed that I work there……..
Collette Kearny . Let the taxpayer do the spending so . Not some layabout
@shanekeogh: so your saying they should get absolutely nothing not a cent, because the taxpayer says no? Don’t be such a selfish cuxxt. Plenty of people who want to work qualified for the job etc but the employer values experience over actually been qualified for the job. Don’t judge people for been on social welfare unless you know exactly why they need it
@shanekeogh: so your saying they should get absolutely nothing not a cent, because the taxpayer says no? Don’t be such a selfish cuxxt. Plenty of people who want to work qualified for the job etc but the employer values experience over actually been qualified for the job.
@shanekeogh: so your saying they should get absolutely nothing not a cent, because the taxpayer says no? Don’t be such a selfish a hole . Plenty of people who want to work qualified for the job etc but the employer values experience over actually been qualified for the job.
@shanekeogh: so your saying they should get absolutely nothing not a cent, because the taxpayer says no? Don’t be so selfish. Plenty of people who want to work qualified for the job etc but the employer values experience over actually been qualified for the job.
@shanekeogh: so your saying they should get absolutely nothing not a cent, because the taxpayer says no? Don’t be so selfish. Plenty of people who want to work qualified for the job etc but the employer values experience
@shanekeogh: so your saying they should get absolutely nothing not a cent, because the taxpayer says no? Don’t be so selfish. Plenty of people who want to work qualified for the job etc but the employer values experience
@Colette Kearns: unemployment rate has fallen from 16% to 6% and the social welfare bill is still €20 billion ! What a joke of a country !
@Tellhimwhynot: what about the government giving themselves rises when they feel like try been fed up with that
@Lauren Anna: haha who’s fault is it you’re not smart enough to make money?
@Owen M: The welfare budget isn’t just for the small (now) number of people unemployed but large chunk of it is for pensioners(580,000 people in 2016)allso those on illness, disability supports&carers(307000 people in 2016),children(610,000 families &1.2m children in 2016),working age income plus employment supports(475,000 in 2016 when unemployment rate 7.5%,it’s 5.1% now)
@Tellhimwhynot: Yes the political classes and the top brass in the public sector are the biggest freeloaders. Pensions, tax free lump sums, and golden pensions some got them as in Cowens case at 50 years of age Aherne at 59. Some more equal than others in Ireland’s animal farm.
@Shyster Inc Ireland: The town of Balbriggan in north Dublin,is like a suburb of a major city in Nigeria. John Creedon’s the road less traveled programme on RTE1 last night showed the amount of Africans mostly and other non Irish nationalities living in that town as nearly equal to the native population. I did not know Africa had been allowed to join the EU, or is this part of Merkels globalist agenda plot to break down Europe’s borders destroy European culture’s and way of life. Time to stop this mass migration nonsense into Europe, before it all ends in tears for both the immigrant’s and the native populations.
The average worker earns €40,000 – €45,000 a year ?… I’m finding this hard to believe to be honest.
@Morizy: That’s total bulls**t more made up figures calculated by the fairies!
@Morizy: it’s hard to believe because it pure lies.
@Morizy: I wish I was the average person!
@Morizy: it reminds me of Noonan claiming our GDP had grown by 26.3 per cent! mind you it was laughable & reported as a work of fiction/ lie in the media, but then again you will get some people that will believe anything!
@Morizy: It’s the official figure from the CSO.
@Morizy: Averaging means that half of the people earn less than the average, & half earn more.
Seems to me that the above cohort have disposable incomes for more than necessities, IE holidays, pamper spending, etc, which are mainly spent outside the economy, with loss of vat & employment content, whereas the below cohort spend mainly at home.
That suggests that tax reductions should be loaded below the average rather than above.
But then the lower paid don’t have the multinationals lobbying for them, & the ICTU have lost their Dail coalition partners.
@Morizy: Nearly a quarter of those working get no more than 400 euro a week. Work doesn’t pay. And the cost of living is unaffordable.
@Morizy: they must be the people who attend Leo’s gym at 6 every morning
@William Kelly: No. There are multiple ways of calculating averages and their meaning is different.
For the mean half do not necessarily earn less, half earn more. That’s the median. The CSO does not measure median salaries (it requires more information to calculate than the mean).
@William Kelly: average is the total income divided by the total earners. I think what you’re talking about is the ‘mean’
@Morizy: I’m 6yrs with a multinational company any we have to fight for everything. Wages only reaching €27,000 this September. A fckin joke of a company.
@Colette Kearns: is Noonan still alive?
@Morizy: and that’s only the average incl. students and part time workers.
@Morizy: I heard some time ago that half the population earns €20000 or less. Averages can be very misleading because they assume an even distribution of wealth.
@William Kelly: A person earning 35,000-70,000 range does not have money left over for luxuries after tax, rent/mortgage, childcare, car payments, fuel, health insurance etc. They also get very little from the state by way of services but are the ones who fund all the services and everything through their taxes. If they do any overtime 51% is immediately taken off in tax. Ireland is NOT a nice place to be a middle earner. I suggest Australia.
@Morizy: it’s bullshit
@Morizy: That’s for FULL Time employment! Actually 54% of TOTAL workers earn €30,000& under!
@Morizy: Average income is fairly meaningless. If Jeff Bezos walked into a room with 5 people in it they’d all become $30,000,000,000 richer on average.
@Morizy: it’s not very much lol
The biggest challenges no income families should be facing is at least one member finding a job
@niamh ryan: 10/10
@niamh ryan: if it’s a low paid job, it’s not worth their while .they’d lose too much .that’s the problem.
@Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: And that’s what’s wrong with this country. Working isn’t just about money it’s about doing something with yourself, it builds confidence and relationships and sets an example for your children. What example are people on the dole setting? That you can sit on your arse all day and working people will pay for everything for you through their tax?
@niamh ryan: No income families are nit all the unemployed . They are those on invalidity , disability , old age pensioners ! You know those people who paid into the system for years and are now getting back what they paid in . Just as when you reach old age or god forbid are unable to work for health reasons !!!! .
@Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: I know people who have two/three jobs and don’t complain of low income. It is nonsense to say that its not worthwhile working.
Jaysus, these average income earners of 40k+ a year get a few euro back from tax whilst the rest of the normal people (sic most of the country) get nothing whilst they are looking at increasing social welfare payments.
Why even bother working, makes me sick
Do these people not think to themselves that we cannot take a few or even tens of thousands peoples wages of incredible figures and not use them as an excuse for an average wage. I mean by god they use weighted figures when it suits them.
Something like 1.5 million working people on minimum wage or not much above it.
USC really sticks in my throat seeing it on the payslip
And another carbon tax increase ffs
@Nicholas Kelly: the carbon tax is crazy for sure there’s none in Northern Ireland. The savings are unbelievable if your near the border it would pay you to drive over and fill the car with fuel or rent a van.
@Nicholas Kelly: People earning below the cutoff don’t really pay much tax to be getting tax cuts, but they usually cut their taxes anyway each budget.
@Nicholas Kelly: 54% of workers in TOTAL employment earn €30,000& under so average is roughly over €26,000!
@Jonathan Power: Believe me it wouldn’t be worth your while driving over the border for petrol/diesel at the moment.
@Nuala Mc Namara: €27,550!
@Nicholas Kelly: It’s all very well upping carbon tax but we need to stay warm. I suspect they want everyone to use electricity which means thousands to refit and then how much electricity is generated by burning oil or gas etc? There is also the question of where it goes. It exists simply to get more money for revenue and when people buy less they crank it up again. More FG Insanity.
I thought the USC was a. temporary measure?
I hope they look after the pensioners who worked all they’re lives
@Margaret Kane: This old trope, pensioners are well paid with all the freebies on top as well. They are better paid than some people working full time when all is told
@Nicholas Kelly: ain’t you all heart.
@Nicholas Kelly: Try it and see living on the poverty line.
@Gary Kearney: Pensioners are the wealthiest demographic in the country. If there’s going to be benefits, it should definitely be means tested.
@Margaret Kane: why? If they worked all their lives they should have plenty of money. Old people have loads of money. People working with young families and anyone trying to buy a house.
@Siobhán Ni Mhurchú: just calling it as it is. Old people get loads of freebies already.
@prop joe: what about the elderly who worked in low paid jobs all their lives? Those who weren’t brought up to live on the dole? Paid for everything and struggled .just like so many people who are working today and not a cent of disposable income at the end of it ?
I would love the Government to tell me how to heat my home and get to work if he is going to tax fuel? Living in an area not serviced by Natural gas or a bus route. I therefore require to stay warm and travel to work. I need a car but as electric cars have a limited range it would not work where I live. Leo needs to tell me how to keep warm without burning kerosene or wood???
@Dave Phelan: Leo comes from the strata of society who dont know what its like to work your ass off just to keep still.Poverty for him is just a word in a dictionary, he is unqualified to represent the majority. Everything he touched in government failed just as he is failing now.
@ Chad Logan Hogan what about people who are on disability? or carers? do they not deserve a few extra euros? carers save the state quite a bit..
@Rachael Blanchfield: you’re dead right, those people deserve a helping hand. Unfortunately a lot of the help and money that could be given, goes to people screwing the system for everything they can, near free houses, medical cards, etc.
@B9xiRspG: Their are some that scam the system but most are like me struggling to keep their head above water.
@B9xiRspG: Yes the foreigners are ripping the country off! Get rid of the free loaders & look after our own, Leo & company would want to wake up out of their dream.
Over €700 million a year given away to foreign despots, let’s cut it to zero.
https://www.irishaid.ie/what-we-do/how-our-aid-works/where-the-money-goes/
@Edward Smith: I don’t know, Ireland has benefited so much from the European Union that probably per capita we give so little back. If we took the stance that bigger EU countries said nah we are not going to give x amounts of funds to the ESF, (foreign despots) Ireland would get nothing.
@Edward Smith: Or not. The amount given in foreign aid isn’t even 1% of the annual budget. Ireland always has been and always will be a charitable country. I for one am happy for some of my tax money to go to people in countries where they have very little.
€40-45k a year is the average wage???? Is he serious? This just shows how out of touch he and the rest of the government are, both FG and FF.
@Ennui Kenny: you should look pay in some of the semi states . They take the adverage way up
@Ennui Kenny: Its not a made up number, its the official average of everyone in the state….
We need social housing for workers. We need to stop subsidising hotels and private landlords through rent subsidies. Providing housing will actually solve major problems that we have rather than try to plug holes. Welfare increases and tax cuts are secondary to this, workers and their standard of living should be top priority.
@SC: rental for a few years is cheaper than giving people houses for free.
They should focus on affordable housing. Once there is enough supply rents will drop as well.
@Cathal: yes affordable housing not free housing. I wonder how people believe the government can alleviate the housing crisis if people are basically getting their full rent paid for?. Social welfare payments on top of that. No control on the influx into the country who also need housing. It will never stop. Is it possible in this country to not work but receive a house, well over a 1k into your hand every month and receive free healthcare?. You’re damn right it’s possible. Name another country that provides on that level.
@Cathal: Public housing isn’t supposed to be free. There are a lot of workers on good salaries who would be happy to pay rent in public housing. Me, for example. I’m on well over double the average wage but I can’t buy because I have to move country a lot. I’d love to not feel like I’m being screwed every time I’m in Dublin. I am dreading going back in a few months and trying to find somewhere.
Sounds quite good, spending more on infrastructure than reducing taxes, my only concern with this is the climate change, only taxing more carbon, isn’t great, I would have thought if you reduce congestion, stop the stand still of cars on the m50 for example would help reduce emissions.
Social welfare increases to keep inline with inflation sounds reasonable and measured, paternity/maternity leave to be shared, is good, very nordic indeed.
For those who choose to have kid after kid and not a career should expect a tough life with a diminished dole band. To those who work hard and pay their tax should expect lower fuel costs and lower tax’s in general, housing grants and startup family entitlements! They are doing this all wrong.
@Dav Nagle: who are doing it all wrong? Walk the streets of Dublin, Cork, etc.. Count how many people are destitute sleeping rough. Enter a social welfare office watch the queues, then take yourself down to the food centres. Ask yourself a simple scary question ; how is this our country considering we’re a very rich society.
The answer is simple people don’t care any more, we step over our neighbour who is destitute and our politicians around the Dail no longer see this hardship directly outside the gates of Leinster house. Our poltical elites only see themselves as relevant that why our country in this state. Carbon tax, property tax who cares the people living on our streets have no t v, no radio, they do not get the news. They hit the end of the pit. But not to worry the kite flying of this government gets them off the hook.
@Robin Tobin: are those people doing anything to help themselves rather than relying on the government? We all know that some people refuse to move out of Dublin eventhough they could find housing for cheap elsewhere in the country. People need to take some responsibility!
@Sam Harms: in a hypothetical situation and an economy running efficient you are correct but Ireland economy is a basket case run by monkeys. Sadly when your in dispair and deep deep depression it very hard to reach out that why governments and citizens should be reaching in. I work against injustice and deal with human rights issue daily. But I have a home to go to and a happy life. Which does not stop me from challenge the state or feckless comments ignoring those who need a hug and support. This government lack vision which leads to lack of prosperity for some.
Average worker wages?! Is he trolling?
I’m on invalidity pension but not entitled to a medical card. If I was unemployed I would be entitled to a medical card? Don’t understand that. Can anyone, without being rude or offensive, please explain. I have PTSD Social Anxiety Disorder and Depression. Thanks
@James Vaughan: I presume you have another income apart from your disability allowance which puts you over the threshold for a medical.card?
@Cheryl Mellett: Thats the strange part without the medical card he pays out so much he is below the poverty line. Well below it. The medical card system is flawed in that there is no thought behind it. There is no understanding of the reality of long term illness or disability within the system.
@James Vaughan: hi you need to go back to your local politician and get him to help you with the form. If you are paying a mortgage that’s allowed. Did your doctor try and get you a long illness prescription card. Given your problem it very difficult to deal with these matters. I guess some box on form not correct but you might also send in prescription charges with form. Good luck.
They nearly always start talking increasing Carbon tax on fuels like Petrol & Diesel but Activities such as fossil fuel production and intensive livestock farming are the primary cause of the increased CH4 concentrations in the atmosphere. Together these two sources are responsible for 60% of all CH4 emissions, 24% comes from producing Electricity , only 15% comes from cars , trucks , planes and ships .
@Seamus Scott: Well said. It’s just tax plain and simple and it does nothing to reduce CH4 because when consumption goes down, the tax goes up to compensate the govt. Crazy.
Leo give the workers real tax breaks not this window dressing extra credit for over €35k. Social welfare too much as is no wonder they don’t want to work, leeches
@Anthony Whelan: Leeches, careful there. One accident or serious illness and you are one of us leeches.
I am not allowed work, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is at a 9.2% twice the national average. It is not because we dont want to work they wont let us. So less of the leeches crack
@Gary Kearney: who is not allowing you to work? Get over yourself and stop being so lazy
“The average person in Ireland earns 40,000 to 45000 per year, Jesus H Christ, this just goes to show how out of touch he really is, he needs to say no more. If all the average people were earning that much we’d all be grand. How many nurses, guards, prison officers, firemen, ambulance staff, teachers, army and navel personnel etc etc are earning that much per year? How many average people in this country I wonder. Ah for fck sake, will the people of this country wake up and get rid of these idiots. And yet another tax, so they’ll decrease our tax by X amount and then increase carbon tax by X amount, so in other words we’re no better off, for fck sake does he take us all as fools.
@Michael Byrne: Votail Sinn Fein. Simple.
@Paul Mc Nulty: are you saying Sinn Fein are simple? Must be as they eat from the same trough.
@Paul Mc Nulty: Whats their record like in power, like in NI. Not so good and they get a massive budget. The economists they roll out are exLabour and failed ones at that.
When they have grown up policies maybe. All most of them do is complain a lot
@Michael Byrne: 40 is a good approx for the median full time.
From their pay scales average Garda salary is in the 40s (not including bonuses), nurses in the 40s and ballpark for teachers at about 50 (primary and secondary). Those are from the payscales for standard workers (not specialised or management).
I don’t begrudge them their salaries at all, just pointing out it lines up with the estimate he gave.
@Michael Byrne: Actually if the figures are true I. E. 4o,000- 45,000 average then it would go to show that a lot of people are on astronomically wages to make up that average . This would explain the gulf between those on the top and the bottom.
@Cathal: a nurses salary starts at €28768pa, rising to €40080 after 9 years, . A Gardas salary starts at €28405.30pa rising to €40495.30 after 6 years, don’t know what sites your looking at. I haven’t even looked at the teachers and all the rest, haven’t time.
Pensioners, carers etc deserve a rise as do those who qualify for jobseekers benefit, but it is utter madness to increase jobseekers allowance at a time of full employment. now is the time to utterly reform the social welfare system to a contribution based model that tapers payments
@Stephen Kearon: considering I would assist several people who are hardship cases. The welfare system was reformed by Joan Burton Labour and Fine Gael. The reform that took place was to remove families who partner died but we’re not married and left to raise a child with no welfare support. They can get no state support. The threshold allowed before a means tested, Payment is so low it’s always refused. It very hard to get welfare in Ireland. Ask the self employed who get sick how Leo and Regina lied to them all because they never passed this piece of legislation for an S stamp.
It is believed in government circles that the Domicile care allowance is being claimed so mothers do not have to go out to work. I was told this in the Dail bar by a politician who has responsibility in this area. Pensioners get the run around when looking for assistance. So the welfare system is well reformed to refuse any claims
@Stephen Kearon: raising pensions means that in the future people who are in their 30s and below at the minute might have no state pension at all, as a result the pension entitlement is being changed so that you need a much higher number of contributions, I think it’s 40 years but could be wrong, to be able to claim full pension. I would love to see the dole cut and more money go to pensioners and disabled but the scroungers who feel entitled to everything while contributing nothing would just protest until they go their way as usual. Like with water, it’s obvious the money collected from taxation isn’t nearly enough to fix all of the issues but people refused to pay anything and now look where we are.
@Sam Harms: give it a break
@Michael Maher: give what a break? Most sensible people know that the social welfare system need a a complete overhaul so that people who genuinely need it get what they deserve, and those who see living off of social welfare as a way of living have their entitlement reduced over time to make them go out and get a job, but it’s never going to happen.
How in the name of all that’s good is raising the carbon tax going to help the whole thing? Is it going to make people stop using petrol /diesel/fuel for their fires? No, because all are a necessity! Money grabbing farce the whole thing. People need to wake up. https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/varadkar-signals-increased-carbon-tax-to-meet-climate-change-goals-860270.html
How about getting rid of the VRT tax that we are paying massive fines on
@Paul Tobin: Not true. Other EU countries have similar taxes. There was a case last year where Ireland wss found in breach as it was applied incorrectly to cars imported on a temporary basis but it is an urban myth to say the state pays fines to retain VRT.
@Sam Harms, I take offence at your backward comment. As someone educated who worked and tax and prsi payer for 20 years, I was made redundant by a multinational company and entitled to job seekers allowance after a non_qualifying period while out of work (btw it’s no longer called dole) based on prsi contributions, social insurance paid (we all pay into this in the event of job loss you are protected and entitled to jsa for a number if months as it can take time and effort to find a job even if skilled ). This is normal process to aid people who are available for work and looking. The system is not as you describe. It’s there to protect workers.
@Mar Ken: You are right anyone could find themselves out of work or unable work.
@Mar Ken: like I already said I’m talking about people who have never worked and have no intention of ever working on not people who go on jobseekers in between jobs which is what it is for.
@Sam Harms: So give figures for those who” have never worked and have no intention of ever working” and state what parts of the country they live in and how many in their families!Let’s see if you comments are based on facts or fiction!
@Sam Harms regarding generalisation and reference to ‘dole’ and ‘scroungers’ if you lose become out of work you’ll be entitled to jsa if you have sufficient prsi contributions from you previous employments (nothing else). You’ll still have to pay your own mortgage or rent and bills. It’s just prsi insurance cover €188 a week (with no salary while out of work). It’s helps those available for work when unfortunately they are out of work. Long term unemployment is another process with conditions for social housing. I saw your praise of people in Bali, they are very kind hearted and generous people (I was there myself a few years ago). Perhaps you should practice some kindess at home sometime.
@Mar Ken: I’m clearly talking bout the ones who have never worked a day in their life and have no intention of ever working.
@Sam Harms: So give the figures for those people,have you a link for those figures?
The government nearly always start talking increasing Carbon tax on fuels like Petrol & Diesel but Activities such as fossil fuel production and intensive livestock farming are the primary cause of the increased CH4 concentrations in the atmosphere. Together these two sources are responsible for 60% of all CH4 emissions, 24% comes from producing Electricity , only 15% comes from cars , trucks , planes and ships .
Carbon tax? Just another way for this parasitic government to fleece people. Irelands footprint is so small it wont make an iota of difference. When will China,India and the USA stat having a carbon tax?
I sick working my ass off paying tax just to cover government pensions
It costs nothing to hope but when stupid Leo and Co put pen to paper it will end up no hope, this man is a rotten liar. He poster buy pin up that self employed can get sick benefit and illness benefit never was passed. Call an election so we can get rid of these kite flying morons once and for all.
As a matter of interest, what are peoples thoughts on the real average wage, how much do you think it is?
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: slightly older figures had the medium full time at 38 if I recall correctly. It’s more in the cities, less in rural ireland (different costs too).
The mean is skewed by the few very high earners (presumably directors).
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: I was ‘above average’ a few years ago but with no wage increase in 10-12 years (Sector 39) I’m now below average and struggling! Recent budgets have given me just €100 more per year (!)
You need to earn €45kpa to have a decent standard of living.
I now see colleagues in HSE/Sector 38 doing same job/salary grade level as me now earning average/above average… and we were all the same 5-10 years ago.
I can’t leave where I am because if I move I’ve to start again on lower entry points. Recently I worked out that if I become unemployed-I be almost better off financially with medical cards and household benefits; no travel or childcare costs plus back to school grants to cover school expenses.
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: max you’ll get for a trade in donegal is around €400-€450 a week
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: According to the CSO the average is 45k for full time employment. That’s probably about right.
@Shaun Gallagher: you can also get a house for 70k (and less) in Donegal. Rent is also a third of Dublin’s.
Different costs in Donegal and other very rural counties from much of the rest of Ireland.
@Ciarán Ó Dubhda: 30k
Working part time, poorer now, work as a carer and I might only have earned 250 this month.. the X and o system penalize you… One hour is apparently a days work.
Divide and conquer . It is not the 5% or so unemployed that are bleeding the country.
A lot of fire being thrown at a minority of people here as if they were the ones who broke the country. What’s breaking us is the overpaid sly balls in government who pass themselves as ministers or TDs, the corrupt banks , insurance ,overpaid public sector, and idiots in control our finances. We are an Island on borrowed time living off a EU loan.
@Michael Maher: they are bleeding us quit trying the deflection game, it doesn’t work. Welfare bill simply off the charts. Blame everyone but poor little you slumped on the sofa.
@Fox: Using 2016 figures re breakdown of Welfare budget(when unemployment rate at 7.2%,now unemployment rate at 5.1%)
:Pensions:€6.9B:580,000 people
:Working age income:€3.97B:475,000 people
:Illness, disability &carers:€3.53B:307,000
: Children:€2.58B:610,000 families and 1.2m children
According to SJI ’16:13% of part-time workers in receipt of JA/JB,&80,000 +people on activation schemes.They found” significant underemployment,high levels of low pay and hundreds of thousands that would work more hours if available”.They also stated that”Most significant trend has been in percentage of older unemployed workers without a job for more than a year from 29% in Q2 2009 to 67%(2016)today”.
Welfare budget also covers community services originally under HSE,farm assist payments,housing supports for those in need including workers on low incomes etc etc.
@Fox: Are you an employer has some refused to work for you.
Some people are not employed because of their social status who they are what they are or simply not qualified.
Ireland has the highest number of low work intensity (i.e jobless) households in the EU. Fact. There are a lot of households out there where no one in the house has a job ( or has ever had) and live off the state. Ireland is an outlier in this. That needs to be tackled if child poverty is to be tackled (they are one in the same). Not more welfare money. Work needs to pay and the dole should never be an alternative. I
@Damon16: Yes but noone wants to do anything in those houses because life is easier doing nothing. If there was more incentives to actually get up and go to a job then it might change. Ireland is a failed welfare state. Why would anyone in Bally go backwards leave the comfort of a free home and 400 euro a week ( wife Plus two kids) to get a bus to live in a hovel in Dublin or London and be worse off.
@Marcus o Dhonnghaile: what about the incentive of feeling like you’re achieving something in life? Should that not be enough to make people work?
40k ha ha ha, thats a year and halfs wages or more for most of us in the west. Carbon tax increase, so those of us who have to commute to work get more taken of us via fuel and motortax, great. It’s us workers that keep the money rolling in but pay the highest price. The system is a joke! You’re better of staying at home and having 5 or 6 kids!
@Sam Harms, you should stop talking. You made several public comments that are quite derogatory, in your words ‘everyone on the ‘dole sits on their arses and are scroungers off the tax payers’. I hope I clarified prsi social protection for you. The less fortunate are means tested for any additional entitlements for social housing or medical benefits which are governed by the state’s policies (not your personal views). Please educate yourself on the social protection and welfare system we have in Ireland, an equal and democratic society. I hope you never lose you job or become unemployed or illness as you seem to place yourself above other citizens in Ireland (who might be in a less fortunate position as yourself).
@Mar Ken: I didn’t say everyone I was responding to the woman who said it’s easier to not work and stated why working is good for you, and that it’s not all about money. And I don’t place myself above anyone else at all, im all for people who genuinely need help receiving as much help as possible but I don’t support people who are simply too lazy to work having everything handed to them.
No problem giving themselves big rises
Leo spinning again. They will take it back in other taxes. Its called fooling people with numbers
Carbon tax is a new excuse to fleece us,
What is this going to gain other than making it harder more expensive for people to heat their homes and go to work,
If anything it will have an adverse effect with poorer people including the working poor falling sick from living in cold unheated homes and business.
Ireland needs to go nuclear power.
Welfare increase. The only ones deserving are OAP and carers. For the rest it should be frozen
Main contributor to greenhouse gasses in Ireland is agriculture… yet hard pressed motorists who have no option but to commute by car are in the firing line again. Enough is enough… say no FF
There could be up to a million people on some sort of welfare/income support in Ireland. We will never actually know as most of the stats are doctored by reclassification. Back to work schemes, unpaid internships and all sorts of other manipulative schemes. The bottom line is there is F all work outside Dublin yet people in rural areas have no way of getting around unless they own a car. Guess what ??? A car costs money to run. The divide between Dublin and the rest of the country is getting bigger on property prices,wages and the work volume.
It’s the official figure from the CSO.
@Enda Phelan: the official figure is mean not median, so most people earn less.
Outside of the big cities, wages and cost of living are lower.
@Enda Phelan: Figure re FULL Time employment not TOTAL employment!
Central Statistics Office shows that unemployment fell again in May after falling below the 6% level for the first time in ten years in April.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for May fell to 5.8% from 5.9% in April and was lower than the rate of 6.6% in May of last year.
Unemployment was last below 6% in May 2008 just as its economic crisis hit, doubling the rate of joblessness in less than a year and swelling it to a peak of 16% by 2012.
(BTW I would expect even a Trainee accountant to be well aware of CSO and joblessness and not refer to unemployed individuals as scroungers and lazy). Dignity at work and equally for those not at work also.
No excuse for not working or retraining or having more kids to avoid working this government needs to wake-up
@Sam Harms. Apt name. This is my final comment to you. Again you are casting unfounded aspersions and making sweeping generalisations and statements ”you don’t support people who are simply too lazy to work having everything handed to them”. How do you know others personal situation? why do you refer to them disparagingly as lazy? do you even work / pay tax youself? I’m starting to have my doubts based on your commentary. There are plenty of unemployed and educated people actively seeking employment on the live register, going to interviews, getting rejected for jobs they are over-qualified for, surplus candidates on the market. You have a very simplied and uncompassioate view of the world I must say.
@Mar Ken: again I’m talking about the people who are able bodied and more than capable of working but can’t be bothered. And yes I do work full time, and also study at the same time because I want a well paying job and to be able to support a family when I can afford to have one. I’ve never not had a job since I was able to work, and had two jobs at one time and worked 7 days a week because I was raised to be able to look after myself and do whatever was necessary to support myself. Also there are thousands of jobs out there, if there isn’t one to meet your skills then you need to upskill, and not having money is no excuse because there are endless free courses available online, you can even become an accountant pretty mich for free!
@Sam Harms: I’m interested in how one can become an accountant “pretty much for free” Sam. My niece can’t progress to the point of doing her exams because of financial constraints.
@Sam Harms: I’m speaking in general about the real employment situation (which you seem to be naieve about in the few years you’ve probably worked and without a mortgage. It’s great ”you were raised to be able to look after myself and do whatever was necessary to support myself”. How wonderful and unique you are (not) and different from those who find themselves unemployed! Please no more comments. I don’t see anyone supporting your views. The unemployment figures relate to the current economic climate for jobs (if you say there are thousands out there then why are they not being filled, you are talking nonsense throughout this forum, there are many highly skilled and eager to work people actively seeking work at all levels, grads, experienced, senior professionals or those on temporary contracts, on-off work) . You are not in touch with the reality of those unemployed whom you’ve refered to several times on this in derogatory terms. You don’t seem to have much regard for people out of work based on all your earlier remarks (the other ones, scroungers, lazy, sitting on their axxses, not an example and more) . I hope you learn something from this.
@Ruaridgeback: there are free online courses on websites such as acowtancy.com and opentuition.com. all you need to pay then is the exam fees.
@Mar Ken: 1. It’s creepy that you’ve been looking at my social media accounts to see what job I do 2. You have no idea what my life was like and therefore have no idea how I’ve struggled financially in the “few years I’ve been working” so don’t you dare tell speak down to me. 3. There are currently 9,000+ jobs advertised on irishjobs.ie, so tell me how there are no jobs out there? If there isn’t a job that suits you right now then go clean houses or work in a pub or restaurant or whatever until something that suits you comes up 4. Yet again as you can’t seem to get it into your head, I am talking about the people who are able to work and flat out refuse who yes are lazy.
@Mar Ken: The social welfare system needs a complete overhaul so that people who see it as a way of living for life have their entitlement reduced over time like most other countries. As I have already said I have no issue with people on disability or who use it as a temporary solution which is what it is for. Get off your high horse and accept that people have different opinions and don’t dare tell me to stop commenting. And you also have no idea of how compassionate I am for people in genuine need but I do not have compassion for people who chose to make the living off of the dole their career.
@Ruaridgeback: Also forgot to mention if she is wanting to do Acca and is just starting I have books from pretty much all of the exams that I don’t need anymore as I’m almost finished. Some of the stuff will be outdated but they’re good for getting a grasp of the basics for the first 3 or so exams. I would rather give them away to someone than throw them out.
@Sam Harms: You are public on linked in and not knowlegeable enough to make judgements on the Irish welfare system. Please stop attacking the disadvantaged and welfare recipients in Ireland who can’t defend themselves and whom you want to cut welfare for which many rely on (it’s a egalatarian system cuts impact everyone you can’t pick and chose) or you’d prefer people homeless on the streets. Unemployment is rising in Britian. Focus on Brexit impact.
@Mar Ken: You still went and googled me to find out about me which is incredibly weird. And i’m not attacking people who can’t defend themselves, again for the millionth time I’m talking about people who refuse to work even though they can, they could easily have more money if they went and got a job, but they don’t so they only have themselves to blame. And it’s very easy to set up a social welfare system where people who are able to work but refuse have their entitlements reduced without affecting those who genuinely cannot work. For god sake there are people all over the world who have nothing, who live in the middle of war torn countries, who don’t have drinking water, who lose everything in natural disasters. They don’t rely on social welfare systems they get on with life as best they can. Those are the people I have compassion for. What do Irish people do? Complain that their social welfare payments aren’t enough or they don’t want to pay for a better water infrastructure. The sense of entitlement and wanting everything for nothing is getting old now.
@Sam Harms: LinkedIn is not google and if you want to make repeated derogatory and unsubstantiated comments on this, expect others to take notice! I’ll say no more…
1)Government’s main focus should be to formulate an urgent adequate, efficient plan to help remedy the National emergencies Ireland has in homelessness,housing and health,these emergencies are getting worse year after year despite previous and present plans.So they need URGENT attention NOW,2040 is too late!
2) Affordable childcare.
3) Affordable housing/rents
4) Adequate housing and supports for disabled.
5)Urgent recruitment of consultants,nurses& healthcare assistants.
6)Bring in new rules re Public Services to make bonuses/pay increases performance based and transparency and accountability mandatory!etc
I do find amusing the comments from people who attack the tiny population of “freeloaders”. The fact is they’re only annoyed because they aren’t taking responsibility for expensive choices they made themselves so attack a tiny percentage elsewhere to push responsibility away from themselves.
After working in physically and mentally demanding jobs with long hours over a twenty year period and paying huge amounts of tax with no detailed idea of where it was being spent, I’m begining to realise those freeloaders saw through the bull for what it was and probably chose to be a freeloader rather than a fool. Work by all means and pay tax, but your choices are your own.
@Jack Jackson: the choice to be a freeloader shouldn’t be a viable choice.
Do you work and drive there because public transport isn’t an option? Well we will now hammer you on fuel and tax, even though we said buy Deidre a few years ago.
Are you unemployed in a society with many job opportunity’s , do you smoke or drink some of that money you get from welfare ? Well don’t worry we’ll give you more so you’ll have no incentive to get a job and leave the welfare trap !!!!!!
Buying approval. Giveaways for everyone. Joke of a country.
To all the people complaining about income tax-free has it ever occurred to you that your employer is probably making more money out of you than the taxman? I billed multiples my salary in my first job so my boss could have a mansion while I rented a room.
Just a quick question :::: I think the government collects about € 250 MILLION a year in carbon tax……. Where does it go ?????
Scrape usc it was only meant to be temporary. Sick of spongers in this country getting looked after, why not give hard working people a break for once. Cut the dole it is a vulgar amount to be paying out.
Carbon tax is a scam when we have energy hungry data centres eating fossil fuels
Based on the commentary to Adam’s story, people were much more compassionate in 2014..
For any begrudgers to read:
http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/unemployed-in-ireland-1525846-Jun2014/#comments
have your say