#Budget19: The day in quotes
“While it is encouraging to see that the Government are Brexit proofing certain sectors, Budget19 has failed to extend this to an industry that employs over 250,000 in the drinks and tourism sector and exports almost €300 million to the UK annually. DIGI will continue campaigning for a reduction in alcohol excise tax in 2019.”
The tobacco industry needs an estimated 50 young people to take up smoking every day in Ireland to replace those its products kill or who manage to quit. So every annual tax increase brings the end of this vile trade in Ireland a little nearer.
“Conradh na Gaeilge are disappointed that Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, TD, has not done more, especially since we met him in June and discussed the devastating cuts made to Irish language and Gaeltacht funding since 2008, which have not been reversed by the Government in the past four years. The €9m requested for the Investment Plan was needed in this Budget, in order to demonstrate fairness and support for Irish language and Gaeltacht communities.”
“The Government is announcing that they will balance the budget next year, but there is little point if we are wilfully destroying our planet.”
“Having borne over 30% cuts in funding during the financial crisis, youth work is still to benefit from the recovery, with a risk that some young people will be left behind as under-resourced youth services struggle to cope with our growing youth population.”
“As a result of the entrepreneur relief of €1m not being widened, there is an increased risk of business flight from Ireland. The gap between the UK and Ireland was not addressed and in fact has now widened thus increasing the risk of business flight.”
“I’m delighted they didn’t increase the excise on drink, the industry just can’t take it. I know the hospitality sector won’t be happy with the Vat increase, but that aside I think it was a relatively good Budget, as could be expected anyway.”
Today’s decision (to raise the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes by 50c) is another slap in the face to retailers that have been compliant with every decision made by this Government. We want more resources to be given to Revenue to protect businesses from illicit trade in tobacco, alcohol and solid fuel.
“The Government’s U-turn on the carbon tax is a giant two fingers to younger generations who will face climate chaos unless we act to drastically cut pollution. A two fingers to everyone under 35, a two fingers to the Paris Agreement and a two fingers to the hundreds of millions of people already living with the devastating impacts of climate change in African, Asia and Latin America.”
Despite insistences from Fianna Fáil that this would be a ‘housing budget’, it is anything but. Three hundred million euro for a so-called affordable housing scheme is absolutely miserable in the context of what is actually needed.
“Our students continue to face the second highest fees in Europe, haven’t seen any grant increases since they were cut during austerity years, and now face an unprecedented crisis in the availability of accommodation and in the quality of living standards. Student numbers continue to increase while buildings continue to crumble.”
“It’s difficult to look at, what seems like, a gift-horse in the mouth but after tax this amounts to very little and those who really need the support most are left out in the cold. Even as it stands it is below the increase in social welfare payments.”
