Rent allowance slashed

WE HAD the An Bord Snip Nua report with it’s proposal for €5.3 billion in cuts. Now we are awaiting the report from the Commission on Taxation. Media “leaks” indicate that its proposals will include a property tax, water charges and a carbon tax and the guarantee of no increase in corporation tax.

Families are already stretched by the impact of the last two budgets, on top of this for many workers in the private sector they have had to endure pay cuts and public servants have had their pay cut through the imposition of the pension levy.

Ever since Neil Lennon came to Scotland to play for his boyhood team he has received torrents of abuse. No doubt for a section of bigots, being from Northern Ireland, a Catholic and a Celtic fan is enough to mark him out for this treatment.

With billions more going into the banks and the privatisation of semi states combined with cuts in the number of public sector jobs on the agenda, it is clear that this government is starting where Fianna Fail and the Greens left off. During the recent election while there was much talk of re-negotiating the EU/IMF deal it is evident now that both Fine Gael and Labour are committed to its implementation.