A selection of the main lobby groups' pre-budget submissions
ECONOMY
IBEC: Maintain the current corporation tax rate of 12.5 per cent - resist any EU attempts at tax harmonisation.
"There must be continued unyielding defence of tax sovereignty."
Irish Small and Medium Firms Association: Bring the National Pension Reserve Fund up to a fully funded position.
"Instead of managing our pension time bomb, we are in fact continuing to create one."
Construction Industry Federation: The Government should commit a minimum of 5.5 per cent of GNP to developing public infrastructure.
"Budgetary policy in 2006 must prioritise the management of inflation, emphasising business competitiveness and investment of infrastructure."
ICT: Improve R&D tax incentives for SMEs not yet making profits.
"Ireland continues to trail its main trading partners in relation to industry R&D performance."
Irish Hotels Federation: Allocate €15 million to fund tourism marketing.
"The future of the Irish tourism industry is at risk unless a concerted effort is made to reverse the downward trend of recent years."
ICTU: Clamp down on "tax exiles".
"They [tax exiles] maintain homes in Ireland which are far more lavish than those of the absentee landlords of the past they socialise here, adorning the 'society pages', they run businesses here they must pay tax here."
Irish Insurance Federation: Waive the SSIA tax liability if the saver puts at least 50 per cent of the total SSIA maturity value into a pension.
"The Government's objective should be to build now on the savings habit that has been developed over the last five years and we believe this may be the only opportunity Government has to do this for a generation."
Irish Exporters Association: Invest €200 million in seaport development projects. Allocate €35 million to rejuvenate rail freight.
"Urgent measures are needed to halt the decline in the export manufacturing sector."
Irish Farmers Association: Targeted CGT and stamp duty reliefs to allow farmers to consolidate land holdings through re-investment.
"It is a national imperative that we support and encourage the core of our commercial farming sector."
Irish Taxation Institute: Remove dividend withholding tax on payments to countries with which Ireland does not have a tax treaty.
"The Irish tax code could be changed to improve Ireland's global competitive position."
Society of the Irish Motor Industry: Start to phase out VRT by reducing each VRT rate by 2.5 per cent in Budget 2006.
"With motorists paying approximately 12 per cent of all Government revenue from their after-tax income, it is obvious that Government has become over-reliant on this sector for its income."
Dublin Chamber of Commerce: "Government should conduct and publish an independent evaluation of the current proposals for decentralisation. Concerns have been expressed that the programme is over budget and will greatly exceed its original costing."
Cori: Increase tax credits rather than widening the 20 per cent tax band, and make tax credits refundable.
"Budget 2006 should prioritise the needs of those who have benefited least from this country's recent success."
Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies - Ireland: Raise VAT registration thresholds €60,000 for service providers and €120,000 for traders.
"This measure would undoubtedly lead to a reduction in black market activity, with corresponding benefits to the exchequer."
Irish PEN/The Arts Council: Retain the artists' tax exemption.
"The clustering of so many creative artists working in many different fields within the small geographic pool of an island nation like Ireland is both unique and exciting." - Irish PEN
Threshold: Double the tax credit available to tenants for rent paid, eg increase the credit for a single person under 55 to €600.
"Housing policies must be much more proactive in alleviating the strain on those who have been excluded from the benefits of the Celtic Tiger."
EDUCATION
INTO: A maximum of 15 pupils in infant classes in schools in disadvantaged areas.
"Investments in other sectors of the education system have left primary education under-resourced in key areas such as staffing and the funding of schools."
National Youth Council Ireland: Expand the school completion programme to all disadvantaged areas.
"NYCI urges the Government to honour its commitments."
Union of Students in Ireland: Remove third-level fees for part-time students.
"The generation of the future is being starved of the resources needed to ensure the high standard of education we have come to expect."
St Vincent de Paul: Increase the Back to School clothing and footwear allowance to €165 for primary pupils and €220 for secondary pupils. Provide free books for pupils in families on social welfare payments and up to FIS income eligibility levels.
"Educational disadvantage limits the potential of many children in the State."
SOCIAL WELFARE
Age Action Ireland: Increase the basic State pension from €166 to €182 per week.
"Unless the Government acts now, many older people who are living in poverty in 2005 will effectively be living in poverty for the rest of their lives."
Combat Poverty Agency: A tax/welfare Budget package of €1,650 million.
"A pro-welfare focus in Budget 2006 will redistribute resources towards low-income groups."
End Child Poverty Coalition: Increase monthly child benefit payments to €155.92 for the first and second child, and €192.85 for the third and subsequent child.
"Despite a buoyant economy and increased wealth, our current rate of child poverty is unacceptably high."
Irish Refugee Council: Increase weekly "direct provision" welfare payments from €19.10 to a minimum of €49 for adults and from €9.60 to a minimum of €24 for children. Reinstate the universality of child benefit.
"The IRC calls on the Government to review the economic plight of asylum-seekers in the forthcoming budget."
Irish Countrywomen's Association/National Women's Council of Ireland: Provide part-time unemployment benefit for parents with children aged up to 12.
"Lack of childcare and support is a fundamental barrier to women accessing the labour market or looking to education and training." - ICA
Small Firms Association: The Budget should increase funding to provide more childcare places.
"The SFA believe that this is the year to lay the foundations for the delivery of a high-quality, flexible and affordable childcare system."
HEALTH
Irish Medical Organisation/Irish Nurses Organisation: Increase the number of public acute hospital beds to 15,000.
"Successive governments, over the past two decades, have consistently underfunded the country's health service." - INO
Disability Federation of Ireland: Increase the Disability Allowance by €17 to €165.80.
"It is important that Budget 2006 provides continued investment in supports and services for people with disabilities so that they can live life with dignity and achieve their full potential."
Prepared by Caroline Madden
