Labour TD and Spokesperson on Public Expenditure and Reform, Seán Sherlock , has highlighted how thin the Government has spread the ‘fiscal space’ in the Budget announced yesterday. “The immediate aftermath of a Budget announcement tends to focus on top-line figures in the areas of Social Protection and Excise Duties, along with some media friendly…

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY Earlier this week, in a newspaper article, I made two predictions.My first guess was that Minister Donohoe would wear a blue or a purple tie.My second was that this Budget would not be regarded as fair, progressive, or even sensible.I take no joy in being right on both fronts.For the first time…

The Government needs to immediately clarify when social welfare increases outlined in yesterday’s Budget will come into effect, says Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin. When pressed on the matter by Deputy Howlin in the Dáil this morning, the Taoiseach Enda Kenny could only confirm that the payments would be made “across the month of March”,…

The failure of Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton to secure any improvement to class sizes or make any meaningful reduction in back to school costs, is a major disappointment to those in the sector according to Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin. “Last year, Jan O’Sullivan brought primary school class sizes back to pre-crisis level….

The Budget includes an astonishing proposal to reduce Ireland’s Debt to GDP ratio to 45% by 2025. Ireland has made great progress in bringing down our debt to GDP ratio in recent years from a peak of 120% to 76% in 2016. However Minister Noonan’s Budget speech contains an astonishingly conservative proposal to bypass the…

    Labour provided a bigger increase to pensioners in 2016 than that provided in the 2017 FG-FF Budget No increase in Child Benefit provided in Budget 2017 while all other major payments going up Social Welfare budget only increased by 1% Under 26’s getting only €2.70 extra a week Labour TD and Spokesperson on…

Labour TD and Spokesperson on the Arts, Joan Burton, has expressed her disappointment with the overall reduction of 16 per cent in the Arts Budget for 2017. The estimates show that the provision for current expenditure in the sector has fallen by a million euro on 2016 levels, while capital spending will be slashed by…

Labour Senator and Spokesperson on Rural Development, Denis Landy, says today’s Budget shows the Government is more focussed on a welfare scheme for sheep support, than a renewal of rural communities. Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Pascal Donohue, allocated 25% of the Rural Development Programme to the welfare of sheep but provided no new…