Budget 2006 - Cowen can afford to be generous

THE Exchequer coffers are bulging with record tax returns, and so Finance Minister Brian Cowen has unparalleled scope to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing people in this country when he presents Budget 2006 today.

Top of the political and social agenda are the youngest and the oldest in society and the minister is confidently expected to introduce measures aimed at easing the heavy burden of childcare costs while, at the same time, giving a more generous slice of the economic cake to the elderly.

Besides boosting social welfare payments, Mr Cowen’s Christmas stocking will include higher social welfare payments along with popular measures aimed at scrapping tax breaks in a grossly unfair tax system that punishes the low paid while letting multi-millionaires off scot-free.