The Budget Thread

[pete]

Irish Times preview

Fairly depressing reading. Taxes and more taxes.

[Dodge]

Indo preview

Oh and its seems they're not raising income tax. They're just introducing a "levy", and increasing PRSI

[Macy]

The levy suggestion is terrible - all workers on all their income! No suggestion anywhere of them closing loopholes for the super rich, or a minimum tax payment. They should also tighten the non residency tax laws to either make the tax exiles pay more or visit less.

[dahamsta]

Let's save the vitriol for after the actual budget has been released please. There'll be plenty of time for the probably justified anger then.

adam

[mypost]

The two things I'll be looking out for, are the (standard) tax rate, and the welfare allowance for unemployment, as 300-350k will need it next year. I'll be happy if they can push it up to €200 a week. It's probably the best that can be hoped for.

[kingdom hoop]

At €198 it's practically €200 already though Mypost. I'm hoping for a slightly bigger increase to balance any increase in cigarettes.

You can watch it from the Oireachtas website (here), or I suppose on RTÉ website either. Starts at 3.30 I think? Leaders' Questions is on at the moment. Like Adam above, I don't see much point getting heated before the event (though things are pretty heated at the moment, Kenny getting very riled!)

[Dodge]

Think its on at 4.15

[mypost]

Used to be 4.15, but now it's 3.45.

[kingdom hoop]

It's the RTÉ coverage that's at half three anyway. My mistake.

Gilmore typically pathetic in LQs. Cowen fairly up for it.


Edit: From RTÉ website: "The Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, will outline its contents to the Dáil at 3.45pm this afternoon."

[Macy]

Like Adam above, I don't see much point getting heated before the event

The above is just the pre-match warm up. Devil is normally in the detail rather than the speech anyway, and even then it's the bill that really has the detail.

[mypost]

Today's budget is the first in memory, held in October on a Tuesday. To fit in with Sarkosy's demands for an EU summit tomorrow.

Meanwhile, it commences.....

[Dodge]

Today's budget is the first in memory, held in October on a Tuesday. To fit in with Sarkosy's demands for an EU summit tomorrow.

YOu mean the European Council that's been planned since last December should move because our government decided a month ago to move the Budget from December to October?

Or are you just looking for another excuse to have a moan at the EU

[Reality Bites]

Thread Title should read Budget 2009?

[NeilMcD]

With your name, are you the Minister for Finance. !!!!

[mypost]

First cut:

Automatic Medical card abolished for those 70+.

[Dodge]

http://www.irishtimes.com/indepth/bu...09/mainpoints/

Rolling main points in text format here

[mypost]

Standard Tax Rate up by .5% from December.

Airfare tax of €10 from end of March.

[pete]

Automatic Medical card abolished for those 70+.

How much do they save with this? How much will it cost to means test?

[Dodge]

Standard Tax Rate up by .5% from December.

Think its the standard VAT rate (21% -> 21.5%)

[mypost]

Motor tax up 4-5%, and additional stealth tax to promote the use of public transport.

Bloodbath ends, now the inquest begins.