Zhou_Enlai wrote:

tonys wrote:

Zhou_Enlai wrote:

tonys wrote:

Aragon wrote:

eoinmn wrote:

Also, on the VAT increase. If it was me I'd be lowering VAT.
For a few reasons, one being that the retail sector needs cash right now.

Yes, Christmas is wrecked for small business/retailers I reckon?

Raising VAT on discretionary goods by only .5% is clever enough, with retail target pricing it won’t be passed on, distribution businesses will have to absorb it.

This is more likely to hit professional services where VAt makes up large amout of the bill. Whatever about retailers, professionals are taking a kicking at the moment - estate agents, accountants, solicitors, architects, engineers and so forth are all being laid off at the moment. This is taking a kick at those who provide services to individuals (clients who are not registered for VAT). Still, it is only 0.5%!

Are services not charged at 13%?

Professional services are charged at 21%. Construction, tradesmen etc charge at 13% as far as I know.

if you're fool enough to pay over the counter!!!

eoinmn wrote:

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

Ha! 1000 Euro to buy a bicycle every 5 years.

I like this a lot I have to say.

It is essentially the taxsaver scheme (http://www.taxsaver.ie/) for bicycles. Exactly what I wanted to see, except I'd like it to be every 2 years rather than 5.

Is that seriously an element of the Budget? I read it here and on p.ie, but haven't seen it elsewhere. Started to think it was all a joke.

please tell me it wasn't a joke. i seriously need to upgrade my bike! its falling to pieces under me!

1000 quid is a bit OTT isn't it. That's a Tour de France model. I got a good bike in Halfords for 180 euros last year.

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

1000 quid is a bit OTT isn't it. That's a Tour de France model. I got a good bike in Halfords for 180 euros last year.

You get 1000 tax back over five years if you buy a bike is it? How the feck will all this form-filling be done? No wonder they don't want to cut the civil service.

Coupled with the 200 euro "congestion charge" (which should have been introduced in Dublin half a dozen years ago) then this could go either way for the Greens - pettiness or tardy enlightenment. I cycled through Dublin for years, was nearly killed by a taxi and was pleasantly surprised at the level of rain there. Go to Galway if you want rain. It could be a fantastic set of things for the city along with the speed limit drop.

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

Something about the bike scheme

It works like the Irish Rail / Dublin Bus taxsaver ticket.

For example, I want to buy a bike valued at €500. I find the bike and get my employer to pay for it. My employer forks out the €500 and then deducts €41 every month for the next 12 months to pay for it.
However, this €41 is taken out before tax, so I'm getting 20% off, or 41% if I'm on the higher rate. My employer also saves a small amount on PRSI.

Under the scheme, I can purchase one bike in this manner every 5 years. But I can spend up to €1000 on the bike and helmets, lights, etc.

Auditor #9 wrote:

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

1000 quid is a bit OTT isn't it. That's a Tour de France model. I got a good bike in Halfords for 180 euros last year.

You get 1000 tax back over five years if you buy a bike is it? How the feck will all this form-filling be done? No wonder they don't want to cut the civil service.

Coupled with the 200 euro "congestion charge" (which should have been introduced in Dublin half a dozen years ago) then this could go either way for the Greens - pettiness or tardy enlightenment. I cycled through Dublin for years, was nearly killed by a taxi and was pleasantly surprised at the level of rain there. Go to Galway if you want rain. It could be a fantastic set of things for the city along with the speed limit drop.

Yes - now a lot of the HGVs are gone it should be a lot safer for cyclists and a lower speed limit and HGV mirrors for the blind spot (200 euro a pop) should nail it.
I think I'll get my tricycle out.

More cycle rails needed then

As I see it, the effect of the scheme will be to encourage bicycle commuters like myself to buy nicer more expensive bikes. And sell on my existing bike, I suppose? So that a trickle down effect occurs where the country's stock of bikes becomes newer and nicer. Using better, more comfortable bikes, should help keep those who commute by bicycle to stay commuting that way.

TBH, I can't see it being taken up by many people.

cactus flower wrote:

More cycle rails needed then

I would have preferred to see a tax break for employers installing bike sheds and showers.

eoinmn wrote:

cactus flower wrote:

More cycle rails needed then

I would have preferred to see a tax break for employers installing bike sheds and showers.

Good point.

Mary Hanafin on the radio lunch time - Government took legal advice about people over 70 who stopped their private health insurance because they got the medical card, and who now can't get it back again (10 years for pre-existing conditions). The advice was that there were no legal issues.

Well, that's all right then.

The business community are not happy with the budget:

Quote :

15/10/2008 - 17:08:05
Up to 95% of business leaders believe that the Budget will have a negative effect on Ireland’s competitiveness.

Nearly 200 business leaders were polled at an Ernst & Young briefing on the Budget.

Some 76% of the attendees felt that the income levy would not be a temporary measure and 70% believed that the indirect tax measures would have a negative impact on businesses in Ireland.

In addition, 96% said that the budget was not 'pro-employment', with 80% saying it will have a negative effect on their business.

Of the 200 polled, 89% said the Budget will not improve the outlook for Irish banks and 60% felt that the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, should have taken the opportunity to reform stamp duties.

the "carbon budget" only gets 3 sentences on breakingnews.ie. is this tokenistic gesture by the greens recognised as such by the scant attention paid by the media?

Environment Minister delivers 'carbon budget'

10/15/2008 - 17:19:36


The Environment Minister John Gormley has confirmed the latest figures from the Environmental Protection Agency show that carbon emissions for 2007 were down 1% on the previous year.

Presenting his carbon budget to the Dáil this afternoon, Mr Gormley said there was a strong trend towards lower emission vehicles since changes to the car-tax regime were introduced in July.

Minister Gormley also told the Dáil that 40% of the country's electricity was to be secured through renewable sources by the year 2020 - an increase of 7% on the previous target.

This is a link to the budget

http://www.budget.gov.ie/2009/otherformats.html

Any chance of a link to this on the Latest Discussions page EVM/Audi ?

cactus flower wrote:

This is a link to the budget

http://www.budget.gov.ie/2009/otherformats.html

Any chance of a link to this on the Latest Discussions page EVM/Audi ?

Pick a panel: Teaconomics or the New Politics one in the bottom left hand corner

Auditor #9 wrote:

cactus flower wrote:

This is a link to the budget

http://www.budget.gov.ie/2009/otherformats.html

Any chance of a link to this on the Latest Discussions page EVM/Audi ?

Pick a panel: Teaconomics or the New Politics one in the bottom left hand corner

Government corner, under Dail tv ?
Or teaconomics.

I'm just going to get Gormleys carbon budget to go with it.

Ireland's First Carbon Budget:

http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Environment/Atmosphere/PublicationsDocuments/FileDownLoad,18677,en.doc

cactus flower wrote:

Ireland's First Carbon Budget

Second, CF.
There was one last year too.

You're right - was looking at last year's web page.

Cowen is talking about the means test on the news now.

He's saying that we don't understand the gravity of the situation.

He's prepared to engage with people - doctors - to take fees off them to keep the scheme going.

Unfortunately this is against Competition Law, according to what was said earlier. Will not keep the scheme going for everyone but may include more people.

cactus flower wrote:

He's saying that we don't understand the gravity of the situation.

He's prepared to engage with people - doctors - to take fees off them to keep the scheme going.

Unfortunately this is against Competition Law, according to what was said earlier. Will not keep the scheme going for everyone but may include more people.

Based on the Goodbody's forecast today of a 4% fall in GDP next year, there will be a need to borrow 9% of GDP to fund the budget. The EU limit was 3% of GDP. The Pension Fund lost 4 billion in the first six months of this year on the Stock Market and the geniuses in charge of us are proposing to borrow 1.5 billion as part of the budget to buy more toxic paper for the Pension Fund this year.

The Clare People today is saying that Michael O'Leary is going mental over the €10 ticket tax now; he is threatening that Shannon will become Tumbleweedville by next winter.

There are 2 million Ryanair passengers built up over the past 5 years and so that's twenty million I suppose going from Shannon Ryanair passengers if they continue their support of the airline. There are 20 million passengers from Dublin per year that's 200 million - a fair whack of cash in fairness.

O'Leary is ranting against Govt. saying the there is a Public Service Order (PSO) of €100 subsidy on business passengers flying domestic and that the Govt. should have targetted that. That means removing the subsidy off 2 million domestic business flights per year to claw back the Dublin money alone.

This won't happen. Tumbleweeds ahoy in Shannon.

The budget farce continues..
Cowen has announced in the Dail that those earning €17,500 or less will not pay the 1% income levy.

While I agree with the idea, this really should have been announced on budget day. As said here on MachineNation before, it looks now like the whole budget is up for renegotiation.

Auditor #9 wrote:

The Clare People today is saying that Michael O'Leary is going mental over the €10 ticket tax now; he is threatening that Shannon will become Tumbleweedville by next winter.

There are 2 million Ryanair passengers built up over the past 5 years and so that's twenty million I suppose going from Shannon Ryanair passengers if they continue their support of the airline. There are 20 million passengers from Dublin per year that's 200 million - a fair whack of cash in fairness.

O'Leary is ranting against Govt. saying the there is a Public Service Order (PSO) of €100 subsidy on business passengers flying domestic and that the Govt. should have targetted that. That means removing the subsidy off 2 million domestic business flights per year to claw back the Dublin money alone.

This won't happen. Tumbleweeds ahoy in Shannon.

That would be Aer Arrann, yes?
And then there is the exemption for private planes and jets under 20 person capacity... V. environmentally friendly and socially fair.