Budget 2012 (part 1): Brendan Howlin has just concluded his Budget 2012 announcement in Dáil Eireann, after delivering his speech, he ended by saying: “This nation will prosper againâ€. Here’s some of the key details from what he said: • Government will save €55m in rent supplement cutbacks • There will be a spending ceiling of €54 billion in 2013 and €52 billion 2014. • Overall government spending next year will be €55.8 billion, down from €57.7 billion this year • Reduction in maintenance grants and increase by €250 of third-level registration fees will save €12.6 million. • Reduction in capital grants to schools by 2 per cent • Jobseekers benefit will be based on 5 days instead of 6 days. • Rent supplement changes will save €55 million • Changes to one parent payment will save €20.7 million • €12 million saved on drug payment scheme being reduced whereby monthly threshold for drug payment scheme will rise from €120 to €132 per month. • There will be €13.6 billion for health next year including €50m to fund implementation of the Programme for Government commitments on mental health and access to GP care • No fall in child benefit. There will be standardised rate of payment of child benefits for all children which will save €43 million • Fuel season reduced from 32 to 26 weeks to save • Overhaul of public service paid sick leave • 10 per cent reduction in public service overtime • 5 per cent cut in public service allowances and premium payments • Limited recruitment into public service next year • Public service pay bill will fall by €400m next year. • There will be a new €20m labour market activity fund which will target long term unemployment • Government is committed to €17 billion in capital spending for the next five years. • The number of medical cards is up 500k since 2007. • State pension spend is up €175 million in 2012. The pre-budget leaks: • The Evening Herald has also obtained details of the budget but estimates only as much as €400 million in cuts to health, contradicting what RTÉ is reporting. • The pupil-teacher ratio in private schools is to rise, the paper also reports. • RTÉ’s Philip Boucher-Hayes on Twitter reckons that the registration charge for third level will be increased by €250 this year but there will be no increases next year or the year after. • As is almost customary on budget day the cat is out of the bag (Trap won’t be happy) and RTÉ’s Brian Dowling has said that there will be cuts of €550 million in health, €500 million in social protection, €130 million in education, and €100 million in justice. • Child benefit will see cuts to third and fourth child rates which will be phased in over two years saving a total of €45 million. • Fuel allowance will be cut to 26 weeks from 32 weeks making savings of €50m. • The Back to school allowance will be abolished for two and three-year-olds making savings of €30 million. Fraud control will bring savings of €40 million and administration savings of €20 million.
Mary Lou is on the warpath: 15.54 - MLM: “Your jobs initiative has been a spectacular flop.†... 15.44 - Some pretty strong stuff from MLM: “There are choices to be made… and you persist with the brazen lie that you have no option but to target low and middle-income families, and to cut back on vital public services.†Government has “ruthlessly†chosen to target those who are already struggling from years of cuts. The government is even so proud of this austerity, she says, that the government decided to set aside a special day in the Dáil where Howlin’s cuts could take centre stage. ... 15.41 - MLM: “Today is a sad day for this State… a sad day for the economy…†Reading from last year’s Dáil transcripts and programme for government, she notes how FG and Labour had attacked the Fianna Fáil methods of austerity – and, she believes, has simply proceeded to follow the same path of austerity. 15.39 - MLM: The government is making the government carry the burden… does the government remember how it “railed against austerity†while in opposition? “Well, that was then,†she quips. Nothing in today’s announcement is new; except to “consign to the dustbin†the hopes of those who needed it most. The new government is going on the same road as the previous coalition, ar sise, as Gaeilge.
Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney has said he understood how people might find it difficult to understand how a Government adviser, Ciaran Conlon, could be paid a salary of €127,000 after a €35,000 pay rise following an intervention from the Taoiseach. This morning Mr Coveney defended the payment, but Fianna Fáil's Justice Spokesman Dara Calleary criticised the extra payment. Earlier, Mr Calleary said if it was the Taoiseach's intention to put aside politics and engage people in a new vision, he clearly did not deliver. Referring to last night's State of the Nation Address, Mr Calleary said Enda Kenny set out nothing new of substance despite ''having worked for weeks to build up this broadcast''. Mr Calleary described the address as being like a party political broadcast. Taoiseach Enda Kenny said it would take four years to reclaim the country's economic sovereignty. He also said the Irish people were not responsible for the economic crisis and his Government was determined that previous mistakes would never be allowed to happen again. The Sinn Féin President said Mr Kenny had failed to provide citizens with hope for a route out of the economic crisis. Gerry Adams described the address as a clear attempt to justify in advance what is expected to be a vicious, unfair budget. He said the Taoiseach was long on rhetoric and short on substance in his State of the Nation address. Opposition parties will be given an opportunity to respond to the Taoiseach's State of the Nation address in broadcasts on RTÉ television this evening. A representative of the Dáil Technical Group, Independent TD Thomas Pringle, will be given three minutes to respond to the Taoiseach's speech just before the Six One News. Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams will also be given three minutes to respond after the bulletin ends. Fianna Fáil has been offered a four-minute response after tonight's Nine News on RTÉ.
The ginger lad will be, he should say he's delighted with the budget and commend FG for continuing with FF policy
Have to say im delighted they didnt cut the Social Welfare.Im not on it any more, but was on it for long enough, and i can only imagine who familys who are on it must feel.No need to cut any more from that.Its low enough already. The students wont be happy with the increased €250 registration fees.
My car tax is due this month, It's obviously going up with tomorrows budget, If I send the form off now do they charge me Decembers fee or the new Budget fee from tomorrow ?
Does that not mean you'd get 30quid less money per week, but the same rate per day so technically they haven't lowered it. Or what does it mean?
I'd expect you'd do well to get it in and paid now, before the change in rate mate but perhaps worth a shot. Must admit, I was disappointed with today's contribution - I felt more could have been done to cut costs in certain areas & a few imaginative ideas thrown in for good measure, such as: 1. Higher dole for those willing to work (say 20 hours a week) for the State, Lower dole for those not willing to work. I'm not talking chain gangs here, but everyone can do something - from office work, to cutting the grass or whatever it may be. 2. Another voluntary redundancy offer for the Civil Servants, to try and help speed up the rate at which we cut their numbers a bit. No reason why people could not be offered a deal to go a bit earlier, might suit a few of them - perhaps an offer for either voluntary redundancy or early retirement. 3. No more fartin' about over the Croke Park Agreement. It does not appear to have achieved anything close to expectations - draw up and publish (in newspapers for all to see) a list of stuff that needs to be changed and set tight deadlines on these changes. They either happen, or the Croke Park Agreement gets scrapped. Enough is enough when it comes to this load of nonsense - there's too many areas in the Civil Service who are not delivering good value for money, decent change etc. Granted, the lower pay grades should not be expected to see pay cuts, but there's a lot of others on higher salaries doing sweet FA. 4. More Public Private Partnerships - they worked fine to help build a few decent roads, no reason why we could not continue down this route to help progress with things such as: Metro North (Airport) without the underground bit, instead connecting with Connolly Station & Luas Red line. Another few Hospitals etc. A portion of each years fees go to the private enterprise who funds it for the next 25 years etc & Yes, I am thinking there should be a fee when you walk in the door of a hospital, no reason why a credit card can't be swiped by the majority of patients going in through A&E these days. I could go on ..... As for tomorrow, I'd support: - A new higher rate of tax for those earning over, say, €70k pa - Higher VRT on new low emmission cars, if they have engine sizes of 1.8ltre or more rather than an increase in road tax for them. - Increased costs for things like: Passports (special higher fee for non-residents who are using Irish passports, particularly those who are tax exiles), Dog Licences etc.
Their is an implementation body which oversees the implementation of the CPA, link to website attached below. Anyone can have a look at what has been achieved, yes things have been achieved! Perhaps not close to your expectations but certainly in the expectations of those who were involved in drawing up the agreement. Also, on an ongoing basis other things are being achieved under the CPA, it was mentioned today in Min Howlin's speech. I note you did not give any examples of the "lots of others on higher salaries doing sweet fa". Looks like the Sunday Indo's recent campaign is achieving its desired affects. Www.implementationbody.gov.ie