Plans for tax cuts and spending hikes worth up to 1-and-a-half billion euro are due to be announced this afternoon.
Michael Noonan and Brendan Howlin will reveal plans for tax cuts over several budgets in their ‘Spring Economic Statement’, as well as plans for increasing public pay.
ItÂ’ll all feel a little bit like Budget Day in the Dáil today - with Michael Noonan and Brendan Howlin taking to their feet after lunch with details about the countryÂ’s economic direction.
TheyÂ’ll tell the Dáil that the economy is now expected to do far better than it was on Budget day six months ago - AND that the public finances are in better shape than expected.
And that means that for the first time in years, ministers will be announcing the opposite of austerity - and will indicate just how they plan to put more money back into public pockets.
That will start with Michael Noonan telling the Dáil about his plans to cut taxes over the coming years - beginning with another cut to the higher rate of income tax in the Budget.
And for some public workers thereÂ’ll be MORE good news - with Brendan Howlin set to announce plans to start new talks with unions, about restoring some of the wages lost during the crisis.
