Our political classes ‘quite oblivious’ to risks

The more I think about it, as the Government published its finance bill, following last week’s budget, the more inappropriate the whole stance of the latest fiscal policy offering seems to be, writes Jim Power.

The budget took a net €366m out of the economy, through taxation measures, with the betting tax, the wholly inappropriate increase in the Vat rate for the hospitality sector, and the increase in excise duty on tobacco the key revenue-raising measures.