Independents propose to tax wealthy and relieve pressure on less well-off

A financial transaction tax and a tax on the wealthy would raise around €600m as part of an alternative budget proposed by independent TDs.

Former Labour TDs joined non-party TDs and put forth alternative budget plans for next year, which they say would tax the rich and help the less well-off.

The five TDs claim that there has been a “phoney war” between Fine Gael and Labour over the budget and that austerity has been a disaster for households.