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THE GOVERNMENT PLANS to send a much higher number than usual of senior ministers to the United States for St Patrick’s Day in an attempt to lovebomb the new Trump administration.
While the new ministers are bedding in this week, it is understood the list of destinations for the annual Patrick’s Day exodus of government ministers and junior ministers will be drawn up shortly.
Senior sources have confirmed to The Journal that increasing the number of senior ministers going stateside is being considered this year to try to prevent any dramatic policy decisions from being taken which would adversely impact Ireland’s economy – which US president Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to do.
Last year, apart from the Taoiseach travelling to Washington DC for the White House visit, just three senior ministers travelled to the US: former Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin travelled to Nashville and Austin in Texas; former Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys went to Chicago and Madison; while former Justice Minister Helen McEntee travelled to New York.
A total of seven junior ministers were also sent to the US for St Patrick’s Day last year, but an argument is being made within government to beef up the number of people in the top jobs being sent to key states in March.
A total of 38 government representatives visited 48 countries last year for Patrick’s Day, which exceeded the 44 countries travelled to in 2023.
With the number of junior ministers for this government set to be a record high, these numbers could be broken again.
It is understood that a bigger footprint of ministers on the ground might be needed this year, particularly in states such as California where the big tech companies – which are so important to the Irish economy – are situated.
Asked about whether the country will put forward a “charm offensive” to the pharma and multinational sector as part of efforts to dissuade them from shifting production to the US, Tánaiste and Trade Minister Simon Harris said yesterday that the government will “absolutely be engaging with them”.
Speaking in Brussels, where Harris was attending his first European Foreign Affairs meeting as Tánaiste, he said it is his intention to bring forward proposals to government in the next week to establish a new trade consultative forum.
“What I want to do here is get people around the table,” said Harris, highlighting the need to promote “Team Ireland”.
Sources say that since November, Ireland’s ambassador to the US, Geraldine Byrne Nason, and senior diplomats have been working tirelessly to create links with the Trump administration.
Irish-American power brokers and business people have also been reached out to to use their influence and speak up for Ireland’s interests while also dissuading the Trump administration from making any decisions that would negatively impact the Irish economy.
Harris’s comments in Brussels came as stockbrokers Goodbody warned in a report that Ireland could face major policy issues if Trump decides to implement aggressive tariffs on the EU and cut corporation taxes in the States.
The report called for a Brexit-style response to the new US administration in a bid to protect Irish attractiveness and competitiveness. Goodbody’s also called for a whole-of-government approach to protect sectors such as ICT, manufacturing and pharmaceuticals in Ireland.
However, there are concerns within government circles that the invite to the White House for St Patrick’s Day might not come this year.
While it would be an unprecedented move, there are fears that there is strong lobbying from Israel against Ireland, due to the position the government has taken on Palestine.
Former special envoy to the US, John Deasy has said there is evidence that the US wants Ireland to change its position on the proposed Occupied Territories Bill, or else the St Patrick’s Day itinerary could be impacted.
Those The Journal spoke to in government said they did expect the Taoiseach to be invited to meet President Donald Trump, but they also said they would not be surprised if the celebrations at the White House were pared back.
Ireland has previously been described as the “hardest soft power in the world”, going under the radar to use its influence on St Patrick’s Day. The St Patrick’s Day hoopla draws critics every year.
But, while on the surface it appears to be full of fluff, shamrocks, speeches about the home country, the government views the diplomatic relations it fosters as vital, particularly in such times of uncertainty.
Harris said yesterday’s meeting in Brussels gave him the opportunity to have a bilateral with the EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic.
The Tánaiste said the commission knows Ireland “very well” from the Brexit days, another period where Ireland’s trade was under severe threat.
“I think it’s absolutely vital that the European Union and the United States establish a deep, meaningful working relationship. The United States is reliant on foreign direct investment. It was before the US presidential election, it is after the US presidential election and the US and the EU are dependent on each other,” said Harris.
“Now that President Trump is in office, it’s really, really important that we engage intensively on trade and how we can do business together,” he added.
Harris said the best way to engage with Trump on the matter of trade is speaking to the benefits of doing business with the European Union.
“We can do business with the Trump administration. My country has done business with every US administration. There’ll be challenges, there’ll absolutely be challenges, but we’ve got to control what we can control,” said the Tánaiste.
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Carers and people with disabilities deserve a 30 euro increase and cut long term job seekers by 25 euro
@Dixie: Fully agree. Cut ‘jobseekers’ allowance beyond 9 months and use the savings to fund carers and improve the lives of people who genuinely cannot work.
Also, fuel allowance for immediate jobseekers allowance needs to be brought in. The carrot of only awarding that allowance to ‘long-term’ dole merchants only encourages some to ‘sit’ on welfare to hoover up the full menu of benefits. By that time many are reaching ‘unemployable’ status.
@Dixie: 30 euro wouldn’t pay for a takeaway Chinese on a Friday night lol
I think we need to just stop giving peasants free money. Don’t reward lazy people
@Laois Weather: and I thought Reagan was passed and Mary Harney was off spending her gold-plated pension in far-flung fields.
@Dixie: I’d rather not see any marginal group being pitted against another.
Job seekers, should be monitored, and that dept should be working with larger companies, to get people into employment.
Companies should actually train people for the jobs, instead of bringing in cheap labour. Carers earn their payments, and a lot of work needs to go into, respite, equipment, supplies, you have to fight for everything, and the form filling is dreadful. So 30 euro wouldn’t go anywhere, in the grand scale of things, stopping the means test would help families, who are over the income limit. But still care full time.
@Laois Weather: I will say it again, Carers work longer hours than any employed person. Please stop saying we can’t work, many carers through financial necessity,
Have to work 18.5 hours outside the home as well as full time care in the home.
Some of us can’t even do that, so we are trapped in the poverty trap.
Still saving the gov in excess of 20 billion a year for tax cuts and inheritance tax.
And many carers won’t even get a decent pension, although we don’t have a retirement age.
@Dixie: long term should be cut by 25 each year
@Laois Weather: would I be wrong in saying that the government is planning to change the unemployment allowance/benefits so they can align with EU countries.as in “Pay-Related Benefit” which represents fundamental reform of social welfare system.the
people with strong work history to receive enhanced benefits if they lose their employment.the more they earned/contributed,the more they will receive.
So working Joe gets slapped in face…. yes many may say i am fortunate to have a house…(paying mortgage) but thats after years without holidays…i dont drink or smoke, cant afford it…. so to cut it… i am slaving 50h+ a week in retail…for 60k…3 kids… and what i am going to get? 40e a month increase but taken away 200 in other pocket… i am sick of people avle to work but not working… i am sick of people coming here and gettinv free pas… i have to pay 65e per GP visit…that i can not afford…. isnt that funny? Working here 22years… and some igor lands yesterday gets it all…. sorry but enough is enough
@BigEd: yeah current taxation is a joke. Austerity times are long over but the taxes still remain. There’s been minimal adjustments with massive inflation….. Govt tax take has increased by 51% since 2019 (€84.2 billion vs €128 billion) and were given breadcrumbs during COL crisis while they use the extra money to waste and swell their departmental budgets. Corporate tax only accounted for €26.5B of last year’s take, income tax €36.3B, Vat €28.4B. They are coining it in on the back of the higher cost of living and they’re on track to get even more this year…… Sickening with so many struggling but they like to portray it’s the volatile corporation tax that’s a concern stopping give away budgets. Liars!
@BigEd: well said BigEd
@BigEd: Agree wholeheartedly. The silent majority in this State working & paying taxes are about to explode, when they do, it will make Coolock look like a teddy bears picnic. Adult children living at home due to extortionate rents, unable to ever afford a home, yet working & paying taxes. We all have to watch then as every party in the Dail including Sinn Fein defend the record number of economic Immigrants arriving here weekly & being handed everything, it’s sickening, frustrating & people have had enough. The whole Immigration issue will become a massive problem that will bring people to the streets, as nobody is shouting stop & nobody explaining where these people will be housed or where the extra services like GP’s, Hospitals & Schools are going to come from.
@BigEd: The electorate has a woeful memory of past pre election budgets. Taxes lower, better services, more money in your pocket. Same mantra time after time after time. Services deteriorating, cost of living increasing, tax take increasing. Paye worker worse off as they give in one hand take with the other. And let’s not forget the green taxes taken to improve our global emissions ɓut spent in general spending. Last years budget usc cut but prsi increased by equivalent rate. They are whistling the same tune again.
@BigEd: This is exactly the budget that the majority of Irish middle class will welcome, and will keep FG in power in the next election. The Igor you mention is usually the son of a Yana, a single mum to a fatherless child (in my experience). Yes we’re punished constantly at the ‘free’ market, but it has nothing to do with Ukraine.
@SV3tN8M4: your fakkketriots got under 1% of votes and 0.2% of seats!!!
@BigEd: if you work in retail you know that many employees are infact foreign nationals, so where are they getting a free pass.
It’s the government and your employers, you need to hold to account.
50 hours plus you need to go back on hourly rate mate,
Not on salary.
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: hit the nail on the head
@BigEd: do if the State does not collect tax how does it pay for social housing, nursers , doctors and consultants for the HSE and all the others demands on the State. By the way Irelands income tax is the most progressive in the world, with the highest earners paying more than 50% of income tax collected. Buy hey, dont let the truth get in the way of the narrative and misinformation . And sure, if you dont like things the way they are, you can always run in the next election
@Peter Byrne: See below link for govt receipts over the past few years and compare the receipts pre and post pandemic. Criminal. Is austerity taxation still needed or do the govt need to manage their spending and reduce taxes for struggling citizens? Their spending has increased by 30%+ because they’re taking so much more on the back of COL. We enter the top rate here on €42k, UK enter it at £50k our services are poor for what we pay as opposed to other 1st world countries
https://x.com/colmkane83/status/1802940255848239299?t=CdWTKI97C8IjmkvE3RVVew&s=19
Stop spending 10bn Euro a year to house illegal economic migrants in expensive hotels all across Ireland deport them and get rid of the USC on working people use the 10bn a year to pay nurses, guards ,firemen and the armed forces more ,build some more hospitals and reopen Ennis and Nenagh and make them bigger reopen all the Guard stations that were closed and defund NGOSs that are causing most of this migrant crisis in Ireland why should people of Ireland be paying taxes to house and feed economic migrants from other countries that are coming from safe countries use if Irish were paying so much on taxes we would have more to spend on the local business and keep people in jobs
@M G: Where did you get this figure of 10 billion? The entire health service runs on 21 billion, employs 150,000 people, and runs every hospital in the country. The Irish Times reports a cost of 0.6 billion to house all asylum seekers, Ukrainians and etc, whether illegal or not in 2023. That’s 3 per cent of the HSE budget. You can have your priorities and opinions but disinformation adds nothing to the discussion.
@Padraig Ó Catháin: Ah, where woukd Journal comments be without disinformation??
@Padraig Ó Catháin: Look up the Dept of Justice & the Dept of Integration figures as well now & you will see a bigger figure.
@SV3tN8M4: absolute maximum of €2B, so nowhere near the €10B posited by the poster. So yes, disinformation that adds nothing to the debate, quite the opposite in fact
@M G: Ten Billion?? Stop making stuff up.
@M G: Are we not getting 10billion?
@M G: 10 billion, it should be 0€ and send them back on boats to the sea. Just pay the boats crews to drop them in international waters.
And what about all those stuck between being out of limits for any benefits and below the higher tax band, next to nothing, as has been the case for the last three years. The most well-off being looked after the best as per usual with FG and FF.
@NotMyIreland: they are in a vast minority
@NotMyIreland: strange thing is FG want to get rid of inheritance tax on houses OVER 400,000 but not under…
@9QRixo8H: That is not what was said: “Although the two Government leaders would not be drawn on specifics, there is some some talk that the amount that children can inherit from their parents tax-free could rise from €335,000 to €400,000.”
They want to raise the limit before tax is payable
@9QRixo8H: what liability for inheritance tax would a house of 400k create if they increased the threshold to 400k? None .
Most people are not subject to this tax and never will be , for example an inheritance of €1m to 3 children , ie 1/3 each would not generate a liability.
The only reason this tax has come into focus is because modest houses bought 40 50 years ago are worth multiple of the purchase cost and families that simply got by view it as more tax which it is.
7% of taxpayers pay 50% of all income tax.. doesn’t seem fair, does it?
So instead of taxing the working Joe’s even more, ( which they can’t afford) why not cut back on some of the overly generous benefits to the long term job seekers and use the saving to pay for childcare for young working families?
Makes sense to me .
@frank dowling: “Pre-budget statistics from the tax collection agency show that 1.07 million workers, nearly one third of all taxpayers, are paying the higher 40 per cent rate on some of their incomes having passed the cut off for the standard 20 per cent rate.” Irish Times.
@frank dowling: well that 7% is false. And what we need is a wealth tax on extreme wealth such as millions as they don’t earn that, the workers earn it for them.
@frank dowling: It’s mad to me that people are completely ignoring the staffing crisis in childcare. Every place in the country has huge waiting lists, parents all over the country can’t return to work. Workers are getting paid like dirt, most of them can’t even get their full break entitlements, qualified staff are leaving in their droves (you can paid better in retail). 40% of places in the last survey think they will have to shut their doors in the next year. They need to start looking after workers in that sector or their won’t be a childcare sector.
@frank dowling: that 7% make most of the wealth.
And pay little tax in comparison, they have many loop holes, to allow tax avoidance, like donate to some already well funded charities.
@Thesaltyurchin: @Thesaltyurchin: and those who don’t earn enough to be in the top tax bracket do not benefit one iota from raising the level. Increasing the amount of money that people can earn before being taxed gives everyone the same increase to their income.
I see the summer kite flying season is apon us.
The Government is floating these ideas/leaks to the media in order to gauge public opinion on different options.
@P. J.: At this stage, even the dogs on the streets know how the so-called media works, it’s all just a mouthpiece for the government!!
@Colette Kearns:
I’ll take it over the absolute tosh people lap up on FB and IG just the same.
@Colette Kearns: dogs on the streets know the intellectually challenged ignore verified news and lap up conspiracy nuts instead
Ossian & Charlotte quite simply deserve mumsy and daddums money tax free. Sitting around doing nothing in D4, projecting a constant glow of superior fabulousness over the shadow of mediocrity that exists elsewhere is harder than it looks. Feeds of avocado bruschetta, born from the hands of our finest culinary artists to energise one for intense daily Harp and Cello lessons isn’t cheap you know….Peasants be jealous. Back to your PAYE misery (spitting sound effect)! Hail Lord Simon!
@Dan The Man: fair enough. Explain how you deserve it.
@Dan The Man: OR maybe you’re everyday family should be able to inherit their parents money without it being taxed again….
@Dan The Man: thats the game Dan, if you are only realising it now then yes, it’s a problem for you.
Disability allowance needs serious adjustment upwards also means testing terminally ill/disabled people needs to be stopped. It is expensive being disabled.
I WORKED 30 years became terminally ill/ disabled recently and I receive a pittance of a payment from Department of Social Protection,this is wrong on so many levels .
@Deadman Walking: I’m in the same boat and you’re right…its not enough to live on..
If this is it , any savings here eating up in cost of living, carbon taxes, etc. There is no cut in TDs travel expenses, I see. Can they not give the Irish real savings like cutting property and carbon taxes. Also regulate basic products prices like bread, milk, etc. Why can’t they make a real difference instead of another nothing budget.
@did you every wonder: So…………. you cut the income of dairy farmers?
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: Subsidise them out of the global market, yes.
@Thesaltyurchin: If we are pulling ourselves out of the global market, where will the finance for these subsidies come from?
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: inheritance tax? ;)
@Thesaltyurchin: LOL! :-)
@did you every wonder: yet house hold savings are increasing
@did you every wonder: there you are, new career opportunity , general election around the corner, you should run as you have all the answers
Newstalk reckons people on 18k need to start paying 40 percent tax and take slaps to the jaw. Rich people paying it all and need rest. Peasants need the face slapped off them. Instead of 300 a week your on 90 and a box to the head if you complain. Think of the productivity!
@Dan The Man: the underclasses need to be tightly controlled
@Dan The Man: Newstalk is a ‘bait’ station, logic and reason are just toys to throw from the ratings pram, by mentioning them you support this ideology.
Nobody has mentioned the farmers inheritance situation. As usual getting away with eff all tax, whinging about income and laughing at the rest of us…
Last year I paid 98k in tax.
Enough to pay for 9 scroungers dole further year.
Why can’t one of the 9 wasters I support come round and cut my grass for say 1 hour a month?
Anyone who thinks ill be leaving a penny in my estate for the government to tax is sadly mistaken.
I’ll sell everything and pass on suitcases of cash or gold
Honestly, who gives a fiddler’s about inheritance tax? That’s nothing got to do with the normal Joe sope. Usual nonsense! Look, I honestly don’t ever pass much remarks over budgets and what not but it’s always the same auld nonsense. You’ll have the lower class giving out, they want more dole money and the middle class saying, they don’t deserve it. Who gives a shit, it’s the same every single year. If you’re desperate enough for more money, you’ll get it. “Nothing in this world worth having, comes easy’ Get the fxuk up of your arse and get it.
@Jack Jack: every child in dublin whose parents own a house gives s fu ck about it
@Jack Jack: shite comment
@Jack Jack: It generates sweet FA anyway. Most people who are going to be hit by the tax have worked out structures to avoid it long before death
@Jack Jack: ‘lower class’ oh my days
@Jack Jack: ’66% of people in Ireland are homeowners’ (2022).
@Jack Jack: when someone buys or builds their own home, they pay tax. As they live in that home everything they buy to maintain or upgrade that home they pay tax on all of that.
So when they leave this property to family members why are they taxed on something which has already had hefty tax levied on it?
I will definitely be voting FG after this :)
@Meatball Martin: starting to think that meatball is actually your brain!
@John D Doe: You’ll have to embrace the idea of change at some point, fighting against it never works, adapt and diversify.
@John D Doe: You are voting for never allowing unemployment to drop below 4% while giving out about unemployment? You are too funny.
Build houses.
@Jim O’Sullivan: Build something useful
@Jim O’Sullivan: precisely what the Govt has been doing, with ~52,000 homes commencing construction in the 12 months up to the end of May.
@Pat Hazzard: the government have not been building houses the developers have been building houses
On the subject of Tax it’s about time the Revenue did random inspections on the owners of these ubiquitous white/silver vans. Many stay below the radar doing cash jobs ,often outside normal working hours ( and pandemics) . By dodging their dues they place a larger burden on those who do things honestly and legally.
@IMHO: well said, black market needs to be cracked down on
About time the tax free allowance on inheritance was adjusted upwards.
It used to be 542,000 (and 22% tax on the remainder) then was reduced to the miserly 335k, with 33% tax payable on anything over and above that amount.
A 65k increase is long overdue.
Imagine the shame of not having a rich mammy and daddy. Having to apply for 13 euro an hour jobs. I’m laughing my head off. Poor peasants! Where is your union lol!
@Dan The Man: are you after a few to many glasses of Chateau Neuf there Dan..
@Clare Power: I’m voting FG the last ten years. Does that not answer your question!
@Dan The Man: so yes…nice with some Stilton I believe
@Dan The Man: some peasant tried to get the school to cancel the skiing trip as their lazy welfare ass could not afford it. The entitlement is crazy, she also complained that my sons designer jacket cost 1500 euro as if it is any of her business. Peasants need to know their place
@John D Doe: shame that cause I though everyone on the dole, could afford 3 holidays a year, and drive an audi or beamer. Are you sure they weren’t just ordinary working people or carers.
And maybe she was complaining the tacky designer jacket, reaked of illegal gains.
@Clare Power: Chateu Neuf and Stilton???? Doubt it.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: you need to try new things Sean….
The proposed changes to inheritance tax will benefit a tiny percentage of our wealthiest citizens. Simon’s priority?
@NoelDublin: Well, that’s probably true, but it won’t impact the majority at all as it never has , so what’s the issue?
@NoelDublin: it will benefit a large number of decent people who make up middle Ireland, ie those who get up to work and fund the dole of the work shy.
Invest in infrastructure.
A few euros here and there. All well and good. And yet housing just blows all of this out of the water. You can’t get someone to live you can’t really live. Not properly anyway. It’s just being taken as seriously as it needs to be.
What about ETF tax cuts ? 41% is way too high and discourages retail investors to invest in ETFs. Also would be good to see capital gains tax reduced for the retail investor.
Inheritance tax threshold for children should be on par with the average price of a house in any of our major towns or cities. It’s a no brainer. No sane person could object to that. 15 years ago it was over 500,000€, today it’s a little over half that. What a country of people who are easily fooled and accept dross.
The inheritance threshold tax for children is a disgrace in this god forsaken country. It should be in line with the average price of houses in all the major cities in the country. Why is it not if we go back 12 years it was over 500,00 euro today it’s only over half of that. We irish will put up with anything from bropen banks to
John D drunk as a skunk. Lol
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