You know we’re getting closer to budget day.  Misinformation and ill-informed commentary about tax rates proliferate.  In particular, the claims that middle-income earners are highly-taxed, more than most other EU…

The economy benefits from productive companies:  investment, wages, pricing and environmental sustainability.  In times of crisis they are more resilient with fiscal buffers, reliable sources of capital and the ability…

Taoiseach Micheal Martin wants to ‘slash’ capital gains tax. On the front page of the Business Post: ‘Capital gains tax should be slashed to encourage more Irish people to invest,…

Demands for cutting taxes on energy are growing. And the Government appears to be listening. ‘The Taoiseach has strongly hinted that cuts to excise duty on fuel are being considered…

It’s not as if the Government didn’t have time.  With Covid and subsequent supply-chain interruptions, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the 12-day bombing of Iran last year – there are…

Minister Peter Bourke was out recently lauding the record of job creation.  However, the Irish Times took a more nuanced approach: ‘ . . . there is a risk here…

Progressive parties and civil society groups should jointly campaign to force the Government to drop the annual St. Patrick Day’s visit to the White House.  There is almost nothing to…

The Taoiseach recently criticised the demand for new electricity credits.  Addressing Sinn Fein in the Dail: “You want to add another €2 billion to it in terms of a short-term…

The Government’s narrative is that asylum seekers are a cost that must be reduced – by making Ireland an unattractive place for those seeking international protection.  This ignores that fact…

We have an affordability deficit.  Even with low unemployment, solid job creation, relatively low inflation and reasonable economic growth, nearly half of households are finding it difficult making ends meet.…

While the VAT cut on food services was farcical, the tax cuts for property developers was insidious. It was framed as necessary measures to increase apartment construction viability.  But the…

There is always a lot of noise and numbers in the run-up to the budget.  Here are a few facts that might help you wade through this forest of assertions,…