JOHN FITZPATRICK,
Madam, - I simply cannot understand how the Minister for Finance can say the Budget will not increase inflation when he has effectively increased prices on most everyday items. When the VAT increase is added to the increase in fuel costs it will mean that all goods and services will increase in price and ultimately consumers will pay - or more likely, they won't be able to pay, and some companies will go to the wall.
I believe that Mr McCreevy has destroyed any chance of a future partnership agreement. Workers will demand higher wage increases which in turn will affect the viability of businesses The Minister has made it almost impossible for the ICTU or individual unions to secure a partnership agreement from their members unless there are spectacular wage increases - and if that happens, the upward spiral of costs will continue to make companies uncompetitive.
The Minister has done nothing to secure future stability for current and future inward investment. The cost of living is a significant factor in companies deciding to locate in any country, and the higher wage costs here will outweigh any benefits that can be offset by low corporation taxes.- Yours, etc.,
JOHN FITZPATRICK, Killala Road, Cabra, Dublin 7.
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Madam, - Let me see if I have this straight: Now that we are in a period of economic slowdown, with increasing unemployment and falling construction prices, this is the right time to delay desperately needed road construction projects. We will wait until the economy again becomes overheated, labour shortages appear and construction costs resume their stratospheric rise before we resume construction at full strength. Is that right? - Yours, etc.,
JOHN STAFFORD, Birches Lane, Dundrum, Dublin 14.
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Madam, - How much did it cost the Exchequer to lower the corporation tax rate by almost 25 per cent? Businesses in the country should thank the taxpayers for funding an increase of 4.2 per cent in their profits for 2003.
Our corporation tax rates were already among the lowest in Europe. The marginal benefit to competitiveness by lowering them further is minuscule. And to cap things off we are actually borrowing money and paying interest to fund this.
Business should be a means to increase overall wealth and quality of life. This represents corporate sponging of unprecedented pungency. Why do our leaders continue to listen to the moronic advice dished out ad nauseam by the unaccountable at IBEC? - Yours, etc.,
JACKY LOGAN, Wasgenring, Basel, Switzerland.
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Madam, - As usual at Budget time, we hear poor-mouth statements from people representing the long-term unemployed. While nobody can gainsay the complaints of those who have, through unfortunate circumstances, found themselves jobless, the constant labelling of the long-term unemployed as the least fortunate in our society must be challenged.
It is well known that our social welfare system is flawed, in that people can be better off by not working. Who can blame the jobless, when so many entitlements are lost by entering the lower rungs of the jobs ladder? There may be no advantage gained - or even a loss suffered - by working 40 hours a week in this country.
Despite this, Budgets are constantly lambasted for not being generous enough to people on social welfare. But what does the taxpayer owe anyone who who doesn't want to work and prefers to soak up the plethora of benefits they get for nothing? Instead of more handouts, let's give them greater incentives and greater opportunities to work.
And let's give the hard-working, poorly paid members of the working class the praise, respect and credit they deserve: they are the least fortunate members of our society and they are contributing labour, taxes and the very wheels of the economy with very little in return. - Yours, etc.,
SEAMUS LYNCH, Portrane, Co Dublin.