France Rises Up Against the New Fascism - Vaccine Passports 23:57 Jul 21 3 comments George Floyd: one death too many in the “land of the free” 23:58 Jun 23 0 comments The leveraged buyout, exploitation and punishment beating of Greece as warning to others. 11:45 May 11 0 comments Red Banner issue 60 out now 13:18 Jun 22 0 comments Red Banner issue 59 out now 17:46 Mar 28 0 comments more >>Blog Feeds
The SakerA bird's eye view of the vineyard
Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz
The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker
What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker
Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader
The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker
Public InquiryInterested in maladministration. Estd. 2005RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony Waiting for SIPO Anthony
Human Rights in IrelandPromoting Human Rights in Ireland
Lockdown Skeptics
Backlash as Cows Given Synthetic Additive in Feed to Hit Net Zero Thu Nov 28, 2024 17:00 | Will Jones
Trump Appoints Lockdown Sceptic Jay Bhattacharya to Head National Institutes of Health Thu Nov 28, 2024 15:10 | Will Jones
Is There a Right to Die? Thu Nov 28, 2024 13:00 | James Alexander
Net Migration Hit Almost One Million Last Year as ONS Revises Figures Thu Nov 28, 2024 11:19 | Will Jones
Time for Starmer to Be Honest About What Net Zero Means: Rationing, Blackouts and Travel Restriction... Thu Nov 28, 2024 09:00 | Chris Morrison |
Budget 2015
national |
anti-capitalism |
opinion/analysis
Tuesday October 14, 2014 22:34 by fred
A pre election sleight of hand giving out a few pennies to the poor with one hand while taking them back with the other via water charges? Here is some information on some of the changes Lots of the usual media spin on this years budget as ministers discuss it in the chambers. With elections coming up, of course, and a key win for the socialists recently, you would expect that FG would make a few mealy mouth concessions to dampen down anger at the string of austerity budgets that have raised the income of the top earners by around 8% or more while the income of the poor has fallen by about 25% or more in the same period.(CSO report, see here for source )
Caption: Video Id: gh6ECgafpjY Type: Youtube Video |
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (3 of 3)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3On education:
Apparently since the hire freeze there has been quite a few retirements as expected of teachers and at the same time the population is growing so these 'new' jobs will just replace the retirements and keep up with growth. If there was extra teachers in the system then the pupil to teacher ratio would fall but many have pointed out it will remain unchanged.
On Taxation the real gain is for those on higher wages. The low paid while gaining a little -about € 100 a year, will of course lose up to €400 - 500 on Water Charges. Those in the middle income 30k to 70k gain roughly what they lose on water charges.
The reduction of the higher tax rate from 41% to 40% was unnecessary as more could have been done to increase the absolute amount for lower paid. The government have been clever enough to increase the USC from 7% to 8% on that portion of salary over 70k. People will have heard Noonan saying he capped the benefit at 70k and this is because the 1% reduction in the higher tax rate is basically swapped back in with this increased USC rate, once you go above 70k.
The key reason for the middle income earners were given most of the benefits is because they are more likely to be FG voters than people on say less than 30k. People on less than 30k to zero are more likely to be Labour, Socalist Party or People Before Profit voters. SF probably straddles both groups.
So if the Noonan had given more to the low pay, then Labour would have had something to crow about and pick up votes on it. Now why would FG hand out money to benefit Labour rather than themselves ?
Water Charges
The government clearly hopes these small concessions can dampen the flames of discontent. From their point of view they don't have to make everyone happen but to just reduce the temperature a little. They will have every intention no matter what they promise to remove all these token concessions in a few years because this is exactly what happened with the Bin Tax waivers and tax credits.
New Investments etc
Clearly the Knowledge Box is another blatant loop hole to replace the 'double Irish'. The government and their lackeys in the Right wing press say that the EU will be examining it, but it just means they will be taking more care to cleverly make it all legal but it will still be providing you can be sure 90% of the giveaway the double Irish was doing before.
Housing
The &euro 2.5 billion for social housing sounds like they care. They don't. This is purely a gift to the land bankers and building industry and while the money will probably generate a good few jobs and put money back in the economy, it is a very thin cover for those groups. What we have not heard is how much these social houses will be sold or rented for? The details are missing completely.
an alternative take on budget 2015
http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2014/10/14/whats-in-bu...2015/
Just as FG/Lab don't take the plight of ordinary people seriously it's hard to take this budget seriously either.
Fred (spelled with small f) has done us a service by putting the budget in a nutshell. I particularly liked the comment about not even the price of a tin of cat food for a single pensioner's pet. The extra 47 euro for single lads and girls on the dole means nothing for the Christmas holiday. They'd get at least a warm smile from the SVP people.