Austin Hughes: I worry higher taxes is the reflex remedy for all manner of ills

We need to pay much more attention on how a range of carbon taxes can contribute to a sustainable Ireland

The strength seen in the March tax returns suggested that, for some time to come, recommendations of higher taxation may be ignored.

It used to be said that the only certainties were death and taxes. While most of us still die only once, the view now is that much higher taxes are inevitable.

The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has echoed last year’s Commission on Taxation and Social Welfare that higher taxes are needed to future-proof the Irish public finances. In a different context, the Economic and Social Research Institute hinted that taxes might need to rise sooner rather than later to reduce the risk that the Irish economy might overheat.