People happy to pay more taxes if public services are improved

We need to spend more money on public services and we need to reform in a serious way the manner in which they are being delivered, writes Jim Power.

Figures from the Department of Finance last week showed that in the first 10 months of the year Ireland’s public finances continued to improve and we look on target to, at least, achieve the fiscal targets set at the beginning of the year, or more precisely in Budget 2017.

One feature of the public finances is the ongoing strong growth in tax revenues. Just under €39bn was collected in the first 10 months, which is €2.3bn or 6.2% ahead of the same period last year. Income tax is the single biggest category of taxation at €15.25bn, which is €813m higher than the same period in 2016.