Sir, – Your excellent Budget 2024 coverage included mention of a new €1 billion “health resilience fund”.
I have little doubt that this will be spent in 2024 as a contribution to the usual €1 billion-plus overspend in the Department of Health and the HSE.
I acknowledge that “health resilience fund” has a much better ring to it than the traditional “supplementary health budget”. – Yours, etc,
PAT O’BRIEN,
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Rathmines,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty was obviously reading a script when he described Michael McGrath’s efforts as a “budget for landlords”. Nothing could be further from the truth.
For me, the initial saving of €600 for 2024 represents the difference between one month’s rent I receive on one property (torturously held down due to rent pressure zone legislation), compared to one month’s market rent for that same property.
Yet this “tax break”, coming as it does with terms and conditions, is supposedly designed to encourage landlords to stay in the market.
It won’t go anywhere towards doing that.
This weak and insufficient effort is merely a confirmation that the Government continues to look over its shoulder at populist parties, abandoning its traditional supporters in favour of those it hopes to gain, but never will.
The disconnect between landlords and legislators is palpable and after years of promises, it is clear that our current administration no longer view property investors as being part of the housing solution.
We are being forced out of the market while real-estate investment trusts enjoy tax rates of which the smaller landlord can only dream. – Yours, etc,
NEVILLE SCARGILL,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – We needed a “Robin Hood” budget. With €1,250 mortgage tax relief, €600 in the pockets of landlords and a €2,000 rise in the higher tax band threshold, we got one of which the Sheriff of Nottingham would be proud. – Is mise,
KENNETH HARPER,
Burtonport,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – I am writing to express my disappointment in the Budget of 2024. As a carer, I am particularly concerned about the lack of support for those with a carer’s responsibility. The €12 a week increase in the carer’s allowance is nowhere near enough to meet the rising cost of living.
The budget as a whole is uninspiring and lacks impact. It does nothing to emphatically address the housing crisis, which is one of the biggest challenges facing our country.
A budget is normally an opportunity for the Government to make a statement about the issues they care about, but there was nothing in this budget to suggest that the Government cares about housing, or about the people who are struggling to afford to live in their own country.
I am particularly disappointed that there was nothing in the budget to address the shortage of affordable housing.
The Government has promised to build more affordable housing, but has not done enough to make this a reality. The budget should have included funding for the construction of far more affordable housing, as well as measures to help people who are struggling to afford to buy or rent a home.
One-off payments particularly non-targeted ones do not address the real problems. They are attention getting and are an attempt to dupe the electorate yet they risk inflationary pressures.
Overall, the Budget of 2024 is a disappointment. It does not address the biggest challenges facing our country, and it does not provide enough support for those who need it most. – Yours, etc,
KILLIAN BRENNAN,
Dublin 17.
Sir, – In this year’s budget, the relevant Minister has increased the price of a packet of cigarettes by a massive 75 cent. Given that most people who smoke now are relatively poor people who are nicotine addicts from an early age, there is a pernicious arrogance in the stance by the Minister on this taxation matter.
It’s a given that cigarette smoking is bad for your health. But one cannot tax addiction to extinction. If you could, there would be no smoking or drinking.
People who are smokers could have been offered some form of medical help to try and stop them from smoking – maybe nicotine patches given out with packets of smokes. – Yours, etc,
THOMAS J CLARKE,
Ayrfield,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – The most predictable negative reaction to the budget? I look forward to “Employers cannot afford to pay the increase in the minimum wage.” – Yours, etc,
THOMAS NAGHTEN,
Maynooth,
Co Kildare.