Budget 2017

Unemployed did best out of Budget 2017, report shows 

The poorest households in the State did best out of Budget 2017, especially when rent control measure and scrapping of water charges this year are factored in.

New policies will help the hard-pressed 

The Government is not in the business of inflating house prices. We are in the business of supporting the delivery of enough homes for people, whether they be social or private. The current shortage...

First-time buyers' grant will only push up prices 

The Government's plan to re-introduce the first-time buyers' grant has received a cool response from housing experts. They think it will encourage demand rather than supply and will facilitate a...

Property measures must be targeted at urban areas 

There is a quote: "Good decisions come from experience, and experience comes for bad decisions." In the context of the recent Budget, one would like to believe that decisions...

New childcare subsidy will do little to really help women return to work 

The population's political preferences are often categorised on spectrums, ranging from Left to Right or liberal to conservative. But when it comes to the Irish, choice is a more useful indicator of...

It's not only men who can be dinosaurs, Ms Zappone 

It is amazing that anything in the Budget came as a surprise to anyone. What is even more amazing is that anything in it came as a surprise to any Fianna Fail politician. But the truly amazing bit is that...

The most significant budget since turn of the century 

'The centre must hold" was the mantra of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail from either side of the Dail on Budget day. The battle cry of the two old parties was met with disdain by those who remains...

Centre won't hold if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael keep moving left 

Mick Barry's parting shot across the Dail chamber went pretty much unnoticed. "The centre will not hold," he declared in a triumphalist tone that would probably have sparked a heckle if there...

Budget buddies: 'Batman' Noonan love bombs sidekick 'Robin' McGrath 

Michael McGrath looked very uncomfortable on RTE's Prime Time on Wednesday night. He clasped his hands awkwardly and winced as Michael Noonan told the audience no one should be surprised...

Things fall apart, the centre remains smug 

Well, they're certainly not over-modest, you can say that about our current leaders. Last week, two of them, Paschal Donohoe and Michael McGrath, were so overcome with their own sense of...

Budget 2017 is a missed opportunity 

Each year the Budget looms large on the property market horizon with much speculation amongst market participants as to its likely effect on their particular property perspective. For weeks in advance uncertainty creeps into the market as everyone contemplates the mooted predictions.

Help to Buy scheme rewards the Irish who never left 

Ahead of the budget, there was much talk about the proposed 'Help to Buy' scheme for first-time buyers - by myself among others. It seemed likely that the measure would be an attempt to get around the Central Bank's mortgage rules - in which case, the primary result would be more house price inflation, not more construction. The alternative was that it effectively did not 'get around' the Central Bank's rules, in which case, the measure would likely have little effect.

Budget gets bronze medal 

What a frustrating week. In an effort to remedy the shortage in supply of housing, three announcements were made last Tuesday in Budget 2017 aimed at assisting the property market. There was a tax rebate for the FTB up to €20,000; increased interest relief for the investor over...

How Budget 2017 will affect you and your property 

There was a huge focus on matters property-related in the Budget. Sinead Ryan summarises the top 10 changes that will have the most impact

Radio: Boring, baffling Budget is a tax on my patience 

What about that Budget, eh? Good old Budget Day. Yeah, you gotta love that Budget. You know, with the whole budgeting thing going on there…

How a few free pizzas finally got tricky Budget talks over the line 

At the 11th hour, Michéal Martin came on the line in a bid to resolve the deadlock over the introduction of the increased welfare payments.

Noonan criticised for failing to close off inheritance tax loophole 'abused by the wealthy' 

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has been criticised for failing to close off a tax ruse that is being exploited by rich people to gift homes to their...

We have foolishly abandoned the idea that everyone pays something 

Middle-income families have not gained much from the Budget, but the self-employed are the big winners.

Subsidy threshold 'grossly unfair', claims FF 

A couple who each earn €29,000 a year will be eligible for the same childcare subsidy as a couple earning €250,000, Fianna Fáil has complained.

Patchwork quilt of new measures will go some way to address childcare needs of hard-pressed parents 

One of the lauded measures announced in the Budget was the provision of a new childcare...

Our personal tax system is skewed - and leans too much on a small group 

It was never going to be easy to make waves on personal tax in last Tuesday's Budget with just one quarter of the overall Budget allocation dedicated to tax. The Minister made clear he had limited...

All you need to know to apply for the 'Help to Buy' tax rebate 

The 'Help to Buy' incentive unveiled in Budget 2017 is designed to assist first-time buyers (FTBs) obtain the required deposit to secure a mortgage to buy or build a new home.

'No impact study of housing scheme done' - FF 

Analysis that helped the Housing Minister Simon Coveney design the Help-to-Buy scheme has not been released, despite calls from Fianna Fáil.

Little tweaks rather than big leaps for small business owners this time around 

For many - possibly most - business owners, the eventual sale of their company and business assets is their main pension plan, according to Eilis...

'Huge demand for childcare places' 

Single mother Sam Dunne was left feeling disappointed by the measures introduced in the Budget for childcare and believes that the assistance should also be available for those who use private childcare.

Help-to-buy won't really help anyone 

Daniela Creedon, who runs a building company with her husband, said Budget 2017 was disappointing for the self-employed and for the construction industry.

I'm 88 - why should I wait until March for pension hike? 

Noel Nutley, from Raheny, Co Dublin, was glad to see an increase of €5 per week to the state pension, but was disappointed that it will not come into effect until next March.

Some OAPs are in line for a quadruple boost next year from pension and other changes 

Some pensioners could be in line for a quadruple boost to their incomes next year. Pensioners were among the big winners in the Budget.

Zappone may relax criteria so more childminders can qualify for subsidy 

The criteria for formally registering as a childminder may be lowered in order for them to qualify for the new State subsidy.

TDs still in line for €5k pay rise 

The country's TDs are still set to get pay hikes of €2,707 next year despite confirmation that ministers will forgo their increases.

New homes soar €45,000 in the hours after Budget 

Developers and estate agents have denied that hikes of up to €45,000 on house prices just hours after the Budget are linked to a grant scheme to help first time buyers.

'Neanderthal' row over 'farming out' children 

An Independent TD has been accused of "Neanderthal" comments after suggesting that the country "will find out in years to come that farming out children to full-time care was not...

No government has solved childcare and housing questions. Why should this one be any different? 

Childcare has been called the "second mortgage" for the past 20 years. There's a housing crisis every 20 years. Governments come and go and they...

Second-hand homes will keep new property inflation in check 

The solution to the housing crisis puzzle is all 'chicken and egg'. You can't increase buyers' purchasing power without having an increase in supply already in place or you'll cause inflation...

FF: €600,000 limit means Help-to-Buy plan is an 'off-the-wall mansion grant' 

AN independent analysis of the Help-To-Buy scheme, which has been branded a "mansion grant", was carried out, the Government has insisted.

Ministers' salaries to be frozen after public backlash - but TDs get rise 

Ministers' salaries are to be frozen at €157,000 following a huge public backlash, the Irish Independent can reveal.

Poorer children more likely to be minded by a grandparent 

Poorer families are more likely to rely on grandparents to provide childcare, a new report has found - a day after the Government unveiled a suite of measures which only apply to families...

Government has opted for a 'blanket defence' Budget instead of trying to create real scores 

Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Independent Alliance were climbing over each other to claim credit for the extra public spending in this week's Budget.

FF wants changes to 'fairy-tale' first-time buyers' initiative 

Fianna Fáil is to demand a series of changes to the first-time buyers' grant announced in the Budget, the Irish Independent can reveal.

Buyers of these plush homes can get €20,000 tax rebate 

These are some of the plush homes costing up to €600,000 which first-time buyers with deep pockets can buy with assistance from the Government's 'Help to Buy' package.