“They give with one hand and take away with the other”

Noel Nutley is an 83-year-old retired widower who receives the old age pension. He is concerned that the budget will widen what he sees as growing divide between the rich and poor in Ireland:

I remember the 1940s – and they’re bringing us back to that time. Then, there was no middle class just the rich and the poor. And what they’re doing now is slowly eliminating the middle class…

Noel said while the government is giving an extra once-off payment of €40 to all those on fuel allowance this winter, he won’t receive it. He explained that as his income is slightly over the sum of the old age pension he doesn’t receive a fuel allowance. However, he points out that because of the carbon tax alone he is €70 worse off a year as he heats his house with oil.

They’re giving with one hand and taking away with the other. When they increase the price of oil, everything else goes up. So it doesn’t just hit you there, it spreads across the board. Shops will rise their prices too because transport costs will go up.

And of course, personal transport will become more expensive too because of the increased price on petrol and diesel:

A car isn’t a luxury for the elderly, it’s a necessity. I can’t shop in my local shop, it’s too expensive. I have to travel.

When all the costs are included – the extra taxes, the increased cost of petrol and diesel, the price of gas and electric - I think I’m standing to lose something like 15 per cent of my income.

Read about how a married person earning under €20,000 feels about the budget >