Sir, – If the leaks and rumours currently emanating from Government Buildings in advance of the budget prove correct, then the cost of the current administration’s avowed desire to reward those “putting in the hard hours” is set to unjustly fall squarely on those of us who have, in fact, already fully performed our share of exactly that.
The rumoured increase in the basic State pension is set to amount to just 2.6 per cent. Currently, inflation is at 3.7 per cent and appears set to be higher than that next year. Aware of this, Government appears likely to increase the childminders’ allowance by 33 per cent, the rent allowance by 25 per cent and deliver a 4.5 per cent increase in total income to workers affected by a rise in the income tax threshold.
According to the most recent figures from the UNDP, Ireland is the third wealthiest economy in the world.
Yet those of us who, for over 50 years, have conscientiously put in all “the hard hours” and paid all the taxes, duties and levies that have allowed Ireland to develop from being one of the poorest countries in Europe to this exalted global status are now apparently likely to be considered as mere disregards by those in charge of the economy.
RM Block
Not for the first time in this country, it appears as though eaten bread is soon forgotten.
PAT FINNEGAN,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.
