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ONE OF THE most predictable and least talked-about Budgets in recent memory will be announced today.
There’s been little controversy about the contents of Budget 2017 – but that’s mostly as a result of the way the whole thing’s been negotiated.
Fianna Fáil, as a result of the ‘confidence and supply’ deal it struck with Fine Gael in the wake of February’s inconclusive general election result, has had a heightened role in negotiating this year’s measures.
As a result, most of the main announcements have been discussed on the airwaves in recent weeks. In addition, the various pet projects of the independent and Independent Alliance members of Government are well known – meaning few surprises are expected this afternoon.
So what can we expect? And what do you need to know to stay on top of developments?
Your questions, answered:
Michael Noonan, the finance minister, is expected to rise to his feet in the Dáil at 1pm this afternoon. He’ll be followed directly by Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe at around 1.45pm.
The Budget has been divided into two parts, with the Finance Minister announcing the tax measures and the Public Expenditure Minister announcing the spending adjustments, since the first Fine Gael-Labour Budget in December 2011.
Forgive us for suggesting TheJournal.ie as your first port of call… We’ll be liveblogging the whole thing from mid-morning, and you’ll be able to watch a livestream of the speeches on the site as you keep track of updates from our dedicated team.
If you’re not keen on us (something we said?) you can always go straight to the source and watch it on Oireachtas TV. RTÉ will be broadcasting its usual Budget special throughout the afternoon from 12.40pm (RTÉ One) too.
If – for whatever reason – you want to read the entire speeches as soon as they go up and check out related data, this is the link to the Government’s dedicated Budget website.
(We’ve been sent this riveting Youtube video featuring Noonan and Donohoe in advance of today’s announcement… ).
We’ve known about the big ticket announcements for weeks at this stage:
In short, yes – barring any last-minute surprises or changes of heart.
That FF-FG agreement, signed in May following weeks of talks, states that Fianna Fáil will facilitate Budgets that are “consistent with the agreed policy principles” within the confidence and supply document.
Speaking yesterday, Michael Noonan said Micheál Martin’s party had been very responsible in its role so far.
Fianna Fáil finance spokesman Michael McGrath said it would be unthinkable that there wouldn’t be a deal – given that the stakes were so high.
Spikey, envious tweets to Paschal Donohoe from his predecessor, Brendan Howlin?
An unlikely prospect, sadly.
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Which bookies are giving odds on this whole fiasco being a disaster and Liveline being jammed solid with complaining parents when the results are released
@Thomas Meaney: odds are too short
@Thomas Meaney: anything to take our minds of what coming down the tracks say june july .. desperate when all they needed to do was pen up a few more classrooms stocke them u with gloves soap and water and get a few more supervisors and let students sit exam they prepared for .
@Mary Ward: any teacher that lives anywhere near their school is rural Ireland now has a target on their back…it could be the same in cities.
I’m guessing the main bit of the registration process involves agreeing to the terms and conditions on how the calculated grades system works
Good luck to all the LC students, I hope you all get what your looking for, but if ur don’t be assured it will not define you. Best of luck.
T minus 30 days till “But my little Timmy couldn’t of failed maths. He is a genius.”
@Milkybar Kid: couldn’t ‘have’ failed – I daresay English might be the test to look out for.
@Joe Vlogs: Milkybar Kid is right, that’s how the parent of a genius would of phrased it
Leaving could be going ahead in the next month. Put tables 2m apart and up supervision or stick a few cameras up. Spread it out over an extra week or 2 if needed.
@Colmok: but your forgetting no school since 12th March and the internet divide. I haven’t had any contact with any teacher since we closed. That isn’t fair on anyone.
I bet this website will be down or very slow tomorrow. No way it’ll handle all students connecting
Students will be asked to opt in through the portal to indicate if they wish to receive Calculated Grades. What happens if students opt against receiving Calculated Grades? Is the only option to sit the Leaving Cert when schools reopen and if they do so will they get to university this year? I feel for all the students doing their Leaving Cert this year and wish them all the best in the future.
I thought PPS cards could only be used to claim Social Welfare benefits? Correct me if I am wrong.
@Jack Cass: no one said public service card – pps number is the number used for everything from tax to social welfare to health care to pension benefits to college grants – perfectly reasonable info to ask for – the CAO even use it
@Jack Cass: Your PPS number is used if you engage with any Public Service, Education, Health, etc.
@Jack Cass: I remember 20 years ago when I turned 16 a pps card was sent to my house with my number on it. No photo or anything. I presume it was issued to me at that age back then as I would be allowed to legally work and pay tax from 16 onwards…. Everyone I knew got one back then….. Although I had started working at age 14 weekends and summer holidays anyway but was always cash in hand and paid fairly luckily.
@Gordon Walsh: Cheers lads, I must apply for an eye test.
@Jack Cass: Jack Ass.
Oops! Sorry!
@Jack Cass: am guessing ur grades weren’t great.
What will happen if they don’t register?
@sean o’dhubhghaill: I think the department assumes that they’re not accepting calculated grades and they will sit all of the exams at a later date. Everyone should sign up for them though and just sit the exams in the subjects they think they would have done better in.
@Colleen: I would have thought that having paid their examination fees that this way was the way they were doing this anyway and that IF they weren’t happy about what they got they could sit a written exam later in the year.. this is ridiculous! I had no idea they had to register for this.
@Lydia McLoughlin: examination fees were waived for this year….anyone who paid them were given a refund
@Rach O’Sullivan: Its not really the refund I’m pointing out but rather I’m asking why do they need to register again, shouldn’t the grades be automatically calculated as a matter of course for them anyway? They registered already to do their leaving cert so this was done once no? If they want to sit an exam as they’re not happy with the result later in the year then they can then do this.
I’m confused why they need to select higher or lower if its calculated grades then its average no?? If doing pass maths why not now say I’ll do hons and collect the extra 25pts!!!
@Lydia McLoughlin: Students can only move down to ordinary level they cannot move up to higher level. Your school should be communicating all of this with you.
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