Letters

Coming to terms with Budget 2018

Wed Oct 11 2017 - 00:14

Sir, – “Jam tomorrow?”, asked your online budget coverage blurb. Not with a sugar tax. Still, I’m not complaining. A tax on sugary fizzy drinks is a timely and positive move. – Yours, etc,

JANET MAGUIRE,

Dublin 2.

Sir, – Given his party’s input into Budget 2018, I’m a little surprised that in his reply to Paschal Donohoe’s speech, the Fianna Fáil spokesman Michael McGrath didn’t end his statement with the words, “I commend this budget to the House”. – Yours, etc,

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PAUL DELANEY,

Dalkey,

Co Dublin.

Sir, – Why hasn’t the tax individualisation started by Charlie McCreevy at the turn of the century been completed by now, with the extra money diverted to raising child allowance? Any tax relief based solely upon a person’s marital status amounts to a subsidy – a premium levied upon children and the unattached.

Given that single people and childless couples are burdened with exactly the same household overheads (such as energy bills, home insurance, and so on), by what standard can such a subsidy be considered fair?

We read a lot about “marriage equality” these days. Can we please have some “marital status equality” as well? As a single person with no children I’m very happy for my taxes to fund child allowance and the home-carer tax credit, which compensate every stay-at-home parent for their own loss of earnings. I do, however, resent subsidising the lifestyles of childless couples via a discriminatory tax code. – Yours, etc,

RONAN SCANLAN

Leopardstown, Dublin 18.

Sir, – I can never understand the amount of time devoted by the media to speculating about what should or shouldn’t or will or won’t happen in the budget. Why can’t they wait until they know? Now they will be able to discuss it to their hearts’ content, but at least they will be discussing fact, not conjecture. – Yours, etc,

MARGARET BUTLER,

Booterstown,

Co Dublin.

A chara, – What could we expect from the budget when in the same week the lottery had to explain the difference between the numbers 33 and 38. Some illusions are easier to explain than others. – Yours, etc,

DERMOT O’ROURKE,

Lucan,

Co Dublin.