Finance chiefs call for more taxes, social welfare cuts and sale of ESB

TAX hikes, cuts in social welfare and selling-off the ESB and Board Gáis are favoured by finance directors in private companies as key measures to reduce the budget deficit.

Two in three (64%) finance leaders advocate the privatisation of utilities. This was a key finding of research conducted by Hays, recruitment specialists in qualified, professional and skilled people.

Hays surveyed 218 financial directors, financial controllers and other senior finance executives on Budget 2011 in October, asking which measures the Government should adopt to reduce the deficit.