The top priority of chief executives in this week's Budget is increased spending on infrastructure, according to a survey of chief executives by Deloitte.
The professional services firm surveyed 100 chief executives at the recent CEO forum in Dublin. From the responses, it discovered that 34 per cent of chief executives believed the priority should be spending on infrastructure.
One-quarter of respondents called for a reduction in tax on the lower paid and 15 per cent called for greater health spending.
Some 40 per cent of those surveyed said the Minister for Finance, Mr Cowen, would introduce a Budget this year that would mark "a significant change from the direction taken by his predecessor".
The two most popular tax change options with the chief executives were reducing PRSI and widening the standard rate band.
Only 8 per cent believed that the Minister should give priority to increasing the personal tax credit.
The survey asked about certain tax breaks. Some 87 per cent of the chief executives surveyed said that urban renewal type tax reliefs were good value for money and helped to achieve urban regeneration.
Mr Pádraig Cronin, tax partner at Deloitte, said: "Increasing expenditure on infrastructure is viewed by most chief executives as a priority.
"Some 82 per cent of respondents also believed the Minister should continue to use tax incentives to target structural defects, particularly in the infrastructure area."
