Budget 2010 Predictions

[Tony_1975]

Good assessment. Old people dying of cold and hunger does have the potential for political damage.

"dying of cold and Hunger". Ah come on Biffo. €600 per couple plus free travel plus medical card plus TV license plus fuel allowances.
It's hardly the poverty line.

[dmc444]

Id say cross border shopping will be targeted- 435 million Euro lost over the pas year in cross border shopping.

[bob3344]

Child Benefit should be means tested and the top rate of tax should be put up to 50%. Social Welfare should not be touched but if it is say to €200 a month the bonus should be reintroduced. There should be more cuts in TD's and Senator's pay, entitlements and expenses etc. and 4 Ministerial positions and departments should be scrapped and merged with others. Cigarettes to be put up and drink sold in off-licenses and shops to protect publicans.

Genius, lets make it tougher for working parents to have kids, I was personally fearful that there isn't a high enough percentage of knackers being born.

Cutting the dole by a massive fiver ? Real deprivation stuff, aha, you advocate taking a fiver a week off & giving 200 back at chrimbo - like a savings scheme for the unemployed ?

Put cigs & booze up - that bird won't fly anymore - too many poles flogging cheap cigs & cheap booze across the border. Why the fk should someone who likes a cig & a pint have to subsidise every lazy toerag anyway ?

[Oldira1]

Id say cross border shopping will be targeted- 435 million Euro lost over the pas year in cross border shopping.

How? We are in the EU.

[Keith-M]

One thing I don't expect to see in the budget is the McCarthy recommendation on aboloshing two government departments.

I don't expect the charge for text messsages (though I wlould support it).

[Oldira1]

Can someone explain to me why the old age pension will not be touched. Handing over €300 per week per OAP is obscene.

Actually there is a valid point here. My uncle receives 228 per week and I know he spends less than €100 a week. He has no mortgage,rent etc. Healthcare is free and he heats his house for about €700 a year. He could well afford to lose €10 a week and so could many other pensioners. He could afford it more than a young father with children newly on the dole with a big mortgage.

The thing is the majority of pensioners vote FF.

[Baron von Biffo]

"dying of cold and Hunger". Ah come on Biffo. €600 per couple plus free travel plus medical card plus TV license plus fuel allowances.
It's hardly the poverty line.

€600? Where are you getting that?

Adult rate €230.30, dependant rate €153.50 Total for a couple - €383.80.

Source.

Free travel is only a significant benefit to city dwellers and fuel allowances will be substantially eroded by the carbon tax.