Dual-income couple

Paul and Catherine are both 37 and returned to Ireland four years ago

Paul and Catherine are both 37 and returned to Ireland four years ago. They live in Meath with their two daughters, aged three and six. Paul works in a manufacturing company. His salary is £35,000, he drives a company car and pays £200 a month in additional voluntary contributions. Catherine works part time in a recruitment firm and earns £13,000. The children attend a creche part-time, costing £500 a month. They were disappointed not to see tax relief for childcare expenses. They are glad to see a cut in both rates of tax and the widening of the tax bands. They will benefit from individualisation, seeing deductions as a percentage of salary fall by more than 5 per cent.