SUPER TUESDAY! Budget discussion thread MERGED

CamperMan

K4t wrote: »

I would assasinate Brian Cowen tbh.

not a clever thing to say, what if he gets whacked in the morning, you will get fingered

CamperMan

waxon-waxoff wrote: »

The levy on the minimum wage earners narrows the gap to those on the dole even more.

Actually, with €200 in the hand every week, cheap rent, free school supplies, medical card, vincent de paul parcels, community welfare officer handouts whenever you shout loud enough.... you'd be a mug to change out of those pyjamas and get a job.

Jeez!!

You make me want to go and scrounge on the dole, you get so much by the look of things.

I might just shut the business down and sign on!!

thebman

waxon-waxoff wrote: »

The levy on the minimum wage earners narrows the gap to those on the dole even more.

Actually, with €200 in the hand every week, cheap rent, free school supplies, medical card, vincent de paul parcels, community welfare officer handouts whenever you shout loud enough.... you'd be a mug to change out of those pyjamas and get a job.

I think most people value self-respect and confidence more than you give them credit for.

You can't get that on the dole.

waxon-waxoff

CamperMan wrote: »

Jeez!!

You make me want to go and scrounge on the dole, you get so much by the look of things.

I might just shut the business down and sign on!!

You wish- if you shut the business you dont get dole for a long time, self employed cant make a claim easily!

waxon-waxoff

thebman wrote: »

I think most people value self-respect and confidence more than you give them credit for.

You can't get that on the dole.

Anybody laid off in recent times is a genuine victim of the recession and dont want to be on the dole. Many people on the dole for the last few years have made a "lifestyle" decision not to work when there was so many jobs around. Im sure some wanted to work, but they would have to give up so much that theres no incentive when the social welfare is so generous.

thebman

waxon-waxoff wrote: »

Anybody laid off in recent times is a genuine victim of the recession and dont want to be on the dole. Many people on the dole for the last few years have made a "lifestyle" decision not to work when there was so many jobs around. Im sure some wanted to work, but they would have to give up so much that theres no incentive when the social welfare is so generous.

I think long term dole people should be punished severely before others take a hit TBH.

However, I also think people that want to work should be allowed get the few jobs over those scammers living off welfare for years.

ART6

Unpossible wrote: »

I suspect the commission is another excuse to give some cronys or relatives more money for sitting on a board for a few hours a month. I wuld not be surprised if that commission ends up costing more than the pityful* gains it will make from its "recommendations".

*I say the commissions recommendations because I doubt it will even try to do anything other than posture and won't really make the hard decisions that need to be made to people (like developers & bankers etc..) other than the average joe.

I couldn't agree more! We really need another bloody "Commission" to add to the unknown number of commissions and quangos we already have. How about ministers and their unwieldy departments actually for once doing the job for which they are paid outrageous salaries?:mad:

I wonder....Which of the newly sacked junior ministers will find themselves with a nice warm seat on the commission?

Rented Mule

thebman wrote: »

However, I also think people that want to work should be allowed get the few jobs over those scammers living off welfare for years.

Do you really want to be forced to work with those people ?

At the very least we should have seen some form of 'social employment' from FF in this budget 'those' people out and earning their keep.

Paddy Samurai

It was bad but I think I will survive , according to what they said on telly I reckon we will lose around €1500 - €2000.00 per year. I think its going to be a case of keeping the head down and spending fcuk all. Yea I know not spending will fcuk up the economy more, but what can you do?.
Talking to other family members , a lot of people who were on the edge are now in serious trouble?.
In my job people are now talking of the cuts they can make, like cancel the insurance/tax and sell the second car, do car pooling with their partners. I suppose it might be good for the environment.
Other ideas were change over mobile to bill pay, get rid of the internet/land line, go back to the basic tv package, dump the VHI. One guy said he’s disconnecting the heating(he got €600 bill) and buying the family thermal underware and fleeces.
One guy I work with has a family medical card (he has special needs kid) so he is exempt from all the levies, given his circumstances I don’t begrudge him unlike the judges.

TripleAce

Haven't worked out exactly how much I am going to lose, but I'd guess around 1k/year.....however I don't care, the fact that they cut the dole Christmas bonus made my day as I think it was a ridiculous thing to have.

Gran Hermano

Easy enough to get a ballpark figure of your loss here

I'm down at least 6% of my OTE.

Rented Mule

At least €2000+ at the moment. Obviously, i'll have to take a good look at the itemised 'shopping list' on my payslip next month before I am sure.

I am absolutely gobsmackled at the lack of imagination used by Linehan and company putting this budget together. They truly missed an opportunity to change this country for the better. Instead, I fear, that they have probably crippled it for generations to come.

CountingCrows

Tax calculator

Fizman

TripleAce wrote: »

Haven't worked out exactly how much I am going to lose, but I'd guess around 1k/year.....however I don't care, the fact that they cut the dole Christmas bonus made my day.

Pardon my ignorance but how much was the dole Christmas bonus?

thelordofcheese

Fizman wrote: »

Pardon my ignorance but how much was the dole Christmas bonus?

It was a double week, so you got twice what you normally get.

Making Cromwell and Linehan the only two people i can think of that have tried to cancel christmas.

ShooterSF

Some diluted positives and a few negatives.
Childrens allowance should always have been means tested. I'd like to know the exact details but I hope the ones that don't need it arent still getting it.
Petrol and booze couldn't go up.
The cut in under 20's dole leaves dangers to those that don't have parent's to turn to. Also if someone was working since the were 16 and paying tax are unemployed at 19 why should they get less than a 20 year old who has been on it for 2 years?
Vat should have gone down. The extra percent levy on lower incomes would have made a lot more put on higher incomes who can absorb a bigger hit.

Did they announce a cut in overseas aid? That should be abolished completely, plenty of charities out there for those that want to give to overseas.

Dyr

thelordofcheese wrote: »

It was a double week, so you got twice what you normally get.

Making Cromwell and Linehan the only two people i can think of that have tried to cancel christmas.

ole nicky ceausescu did it too, and they put him up agin a wall and emptied a couple of AK-47s in his direction in the end. Theres hope yet...

Sean Quagmire

ShooterSF wrote: »

Did they announce a cut in overseas aid? That should be abolished completely, plenty of charities out there for those that want to give to overseas.

I really don't get this either..moron's if they are still sending millions overseas. The stupidity in this budget is ridiculous, another rushed ill-thought out plan.

Rented Mule

Bambi wrote: »

ole nicky ceausescu did it too, and they put him up agin a wall and emptied a couple of AK-47s in his direction in the end. Theres hope yet...

Ahhhhh .....the good old days.

Rented Mule

Sean Quagmire wrote: »

I really don't get this either..moron's if they are still sending millions overseas. The stupidity in this budget is ridiculous, another rushed ill-thought out plan.

Overseas aid was cut, but the irony is that the majority of that money is generally spent in the host country.

So basically, there is even more money that will not be spent in Ireland.

Rented Mule

Never trust a morbidly obese person to tell you what you can live on.

Niall Keane

My wife and I married and with a mortgage for last 2 years, both of us professionals, living in Dublin area, have just lost 3.5k, with the threat of more taxes to come. This means no holiday, no more health insurance for me at least, forget about any new cars on the horizon, definitely no going out ever again, no drinks, cinema, restaurant etc., all purchases to be made online from U.S. if possible, you know electronic goods etc., I'll wait 6 weeks. I had considered last year starting a business, not any more. Although I had expressions of interest, all potential customers are afraid of letting go of their capital, can't blame them. Thought about children, as a responsible person, can I really consider this? Perhaps my species survivalist genetic impulses can be sedated with the knowledge that my taxes keep 4 of the breeder classes on the long term dole?
Guess a lot of these things seem like luxuries that we've gotten used to in the tiger years. But wait all these luxuries create jobs, what do people think the real percentage of the working population out of work will reach by year end?
Is this the beginning of an uncontrolled gelid-economic implosion?

coconut5

Niall Keane wrote: »

My wife and I married and with a mortgage for last 2 years, both of us professionals, living in Dublin area, have just lost 3.5k, with the threat of more taxes to come. This means no holiday, no more health insurance for me at least, forget about any new cars on the horizon, definitely no going out ever again, no drinks, cinema, restaurant etc., all purchases to be made online from U.S. if possible, you know electronic goods etc., I'll wait 6 weeks. I had considered last year starting a business, not any more. Although I had expressions of interest, all potential customers are afraid of letting go of their capital, can't blame them. Thought about children, as a responsible person, can I really consider this? Perhaps my species survivalist genetic impulses can be sedated with the knowledge that my taxes keep 4 of the breeder classes on the long term dole?
Guess a lot of these things seem like luxuries that we've gotten used to in the tiger years. But wait all these luxuries create jobs, what do people think the real percentage of the working population out of work will reach by year end?
Is this the beginning of an uncontrolled gelid-economic implosion?

You can live without all of the above things you mentioned. I'm sure you've accumulated enough stuff in the last few years that will keep you going until things get better (fingers crossed). Loads of the things people have placed emphasis on over the last while are a load of bollocks anyway.

Capt'n Midnight

ShooterSF wrote:

Did they announce a cut in overseas aid? That should be abolished completely, plenty of charities out there for those that want to give to overseas.

Most charities are less money from donations.
The problems overseas are worse than here.
If we stopped fishing off Africa, if we dropped protectionist policies on farm produce from Africa, dropped collection of interest payments on our part of the third world debt and the other one-sided stuff it would cost us far more than we hand back to them. :mad:

meditraitor

Citizens

I heard this used at least 6 times between 3 analysis programmes I watched last night regarding the budget.

Something fishy is going on I tells ya

Capt'n Midnight

Niall Keane wrote:

Guess a lot of these things seem like luxuries that we've gotten used to in the tiger years. But wait all these luxuries create jobs, what do people think the real percentage of the working population out of work will reach by year end?
Is this the beginning of an uncontrolled gelid-economic implosion?

China had it's biggest ever trade surplus in recently because while exports were down, imports were down far more, and most of the stuff it produces can be sold internally , but at a far lower price.
Unfortunately most of our luxuries were imported and the jobs created were abroad
If you can figure out how to get people spending locally without protectionism let us know ( Huge tax on Diesel to reduce deliveries ??)
The main boost to the local economy was through Tax and large margins by inefficient suppliers, and a lot of their spend would be outside the local economy too. By buying on the interweb very little of the profit ends up here , just a fact of life.

Resteraunts spend would be local but everyone knows that they are the first to go when people pull back on discretionary spending. That business like a lot is cyclical.

K-9

Sean Quagmire wrote: »

I really don't get this either..moron's if they are still sending millions overseas. The stupidity in this budget is ridiculous, another rushed ill-thought out plan.

They cut a €100 Million of it.

ShooterSF

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Most charities are less money from donations.

ANd? The public can't afford to help anyomre why should they be forced to through taxes?

The problems overseas are worse than here.

That they are but let's deal our own first then we can get back to thinking about helping out.

If we stopped fishing off Africa, if we dropped protectionist policies on farm produce from Africa, dropped collection of interest payments on our part of the third world debt and the other one-sided stuff it would cost us far more than we hand back to them. :mad:

And that would be a good thing? Open free trade to further lower paid nations and take more business out of our country? Can we get interest free repayments on our loans too?

K-9

ShooterSF wrote: »

And that would be a good thing? Open free trade to further lower paid nations and take more business out of our country? Can we get interest free repayments on our loans too?

Indeed, our farmers would need to stop taking the subsidies from Brussels then.

Fat chance!

ShooterSF

K-9 wrote: »

They cut a €100 Million of it.

Link? All I can find is Irish urged not to cut overseas aid...