An average worker should see benefits of at least €1,000 from income tax reductions and cost-of-living payments in the budget in October, Minister for Finance Jack Chambers has said.
Mr Chambers said the outcome for average earners would be better this year, compared to last year’s budget, when the net gain was €800. He said reductions in the Universal Social Charge USC would be a central component of Budget 2025, the first budget he is drafting as Minister for Finance.
“We really want to target low, middle income earners and workers in our economy, and ensure that we’ve a competitive income tax system that rewards work,” he said.
Mr Chambers was speaking at a special Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting in Killiney, Co Dublin.
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Regarding the estimated €13 billion arising from the Apple tax that will be added to the Exchequer, Mr Chambers said it would take a number of months to get a final determination on the actual fund.
However, he confirmed the Government would decide around the time of the Budget on where the funds would be directed.
Asked about Sinn Féin’s proposals to use €1 billion of the Apple tax monies to help disadvantaged communities, Mr Chambers said Fianna Fáil already supported those communities through a wide variety of measures.
“Sinn Féin is just pontificating about how they’ll spend the proceeds of an industrial and enterprise policy that they criticise every day. They criticise our economy and the enterprise policy that has delivered surpluses and that delivers the possibility of further investment in communities,” he said.
Earlier, Tánaiste Micheál Martin downplayed the prospect of a November general election, saying February would be an “ideal date to hold it”.
The Fianna Fáil leader also confirmed that no byelections would be held before the election, irrespective of the date it is held.
He said that the Government has received legal advice that it would not be sustainable to hold a byelection immediately before the general election.
There are four vacancies in the Dáil following the elections of Michael McNamara (Independent); Barry Cowen (Fianna Fáil); Aodhán Ó Riordáin (Labour); and Kathleen Funchion (Sinn Féin) to the European Parliament. They all resigned their Dáil seats on July 16th, meaning a writ for the byelection can be moved no later than January 16th.
As a byelection must take place within 18 to 25 days of the writ being moved (excluding Sundays and bank holidays), it would mean that the byelection would have to be held on February 15th.
Mr Martin was speaking at his parliamentary party “think-in” on Monday.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman, meanwhile, said he expects to be consulted by Taoiseach Simon Harris about the timing of the general election before any such decision is made.
The Green Party held its own annual think-in on Monday in Dublin.
Mr O’Gorman was asked whether he would expect to be consulted as a matter of course about the timing of an election, amid speculation it could be called after the budget.
“Obviously, the Constitution is clear. It’s a matter ultimately for the Taoiseach, but I would expect to be consulted in terms of a final date but those discussions, those conversations, haven’t happened yet.”
Asked if he has a personal preference for the timing of a general election, he said he has previously stated he would like the Government to go full term.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald told reporters at her party’s think-in that her expectation remains for an election in November.
“All the political parties are preparing now for an election, for an autumn election,” she said. “We would prefer that it happens sooner rather than later. I think the time is right now to go to the people.”
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