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WITH THE BUDGET over, Irish political eyes are now focused on the general election, likely to be held in the spring of next year.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has come out with the first major political promise of the campaign – scrapping the Universal Social Charge.
The tax measure, introduced by the late finance minister Brian Lenihan in 2011, was cut in Tuesday’s Budget.
But Kenny said that if he is still in charge after the election next year, it will be scrapped in the lifetime of the next government.
Speaking ahead of the Fine Gael presidential dinner this evening, Kenny said that abolishing the “savage” tax will be a “central tenet” of Fine Gael’s general election policy.
Kenny says the measure would create 200,000 jobs, reduce unemployment to 6% and attract 75,000 emigrants home.
In his speech, Kenny said: “Since the introduction of the USC by Fíanna Fail, Ireland’s personal tax system has damaged the incentive to work and is now a barrier to keeping the recovery going.
“That is why, if returned to Government, Fine Gael will put complete abolition of the USC at the centre of the most radical overhaul of personal taxation in a generation, all designed to make work pay, encourage labour force participation and entrepreneurship and keep the recovery going.”
Kenny said that he felt the government had kept its two “core promises” of stabilising the national finances and improving employment and that he “looked forward” to the election campaign.
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Will Eamon Dunphy be on the panel giving his analysis?
No Eamon is appearing on the TV3 version called Tired and Emotional
This is what my TV licence fee is going towards…………?
Are you sh*tting me….
RTE,spending your TV license on truly ground breaking television
Just tell them to wait in the Late Late Green Room
I’d have to be drunk to watch it.
Filmed live from the dail bar
Who needs science? How about exercising some common sense? Alcohol is a drain on Irish society.. I believe most things are fine in moderation, and when consumed responsibly.. The French give their children wine with their dinner.. but it doesn’t result in many of them maturing as alcoholics.
There needs to be major attention given to the fact that alcohol is solely responsible for direct deaths, as well as indirect, through, drink driving, violence, alcohol related cancers, and so on. Then there is the family related issues, such as children suffering due to parents abusing alcohol, the financial woes it can impede, the health defects.
Any drug which affects a society as much as alcohol does in Ireland, should be looked at very seriously. I drank from time to time in my younger years… but when ones see directly the affects it can have on an individual, a family, and a society, it really makes you think twice about it. People are only too quick to dismiss drugs such as marijuana (again, a drug I don’t consume) despite it potentially having countless benefits for society, in terms of interacting with a person’s creative processes, in terms of aiding many illnesses, such as cancer, ADHD, MS, glaucoma, aids, epilepsy, anxiety, depression, obesity… the list is literally endless. As I have family members which have illnesses such as cancer and MS, this concerns me greatly that they are suffering yet can’t get their hands on a plant which apparently greatly diminishes the suffering involved in these illnesses, but if they want to go and buy 5 nagans of vodka to consume it is well within their rights.
We need to alter the perspective in Ireland which makes it acceptable, and in some cases is encuraged, to consume drugs which have quite detrimental affects on society as a whole, yet drugs which could potentially have endless benefits are frowned down upon. This needs to be majorly addressed.
I’ve met my fair share of people that dismiss recreational and medical use of marijuana simply because it’s illegal. Alcohol has how many related deaths and as you said and cannabis none. Alcohol is legal simply because it generates revenue for the fat cats. Cannabis and hemp have the potential to put many soulless corporations out of business.
Mick, the French have a massive problem with alcoholism.
Ahh a quick google search would suggest you are correct Tommy… my mistake in that regard!
Where do you get that the French give kids wine with their dinner? I am French, never saw it done as kid, don’t see it done now.
French culture is changing, the young (20 odd) binge on alcopops just as much as they do here.
Don’t assess French culture, or any other, by your bird’s eye view of a 2 weeks holiday or a few business trips or what you read without living there socialising with French families rather than an Irish or English speakers ghetto.
My assessment Marie-Jo, came from visiting France over the years. It was not intended in any way as as in insult on your country, more of a compliment. As far as I was aware, it was seen as good practise by French people I know, who would raise their children knowing what it meant to drink responsibly, and in moderation, and wold also instill the idea that alcohol was a sociable drink, and not one which should be abused alon, or behind closed doors.
Also, like in Holland, for example where you have cannabis smoked openly in many parts, its not seen as such a privilage when youth come of legal age – its not something which teens or young adults feel they desperately have to get their hands on, and consume copius amounts. The taboo of these drugs is not as present..
Although , in relation to your comment about young binge drinking in France, I feel in Ireland anyway, this is largely to do with the amount of marketing of alcohol which is targetted solely at young people, there are countless number of drinks now which aimed only at youth, and it’s marketing has grown more sophistacated over the years.
The point I was trying to make was that is has become too socially acceptable in Ireland, and other western Europe nations, to consume alcohol, which as I stated earlier, I feel is fine in moderation, I firmly believe in an adult being able to decide what he or she puts into their body, once its harm does not radiate outwards, thats an individual’s perogative as far as I’m concerned – but its gotten to the point now where you can’t watch tv, or use the internet withouth seeing an alcohol advertisement. Young children, as we know are particularly vulnerable to advertising, and soak up what it is in their environment like a sponge. This I feel is something which should be addressed.
It is often associated in ads, that for having a good time, alcohol is requred, which is obviously not true. But these type of marketing traits are instilled in alot of people from a young age, and it is then difficult for an individual to break that addiction.
All alcohol advertising and sponsorship is banned in France, yet they still have a massive problem with alcoholism and youth alcoholism in particular. Please stop twisting facts to suit your pro legalisation argument, it does you no favours. Alcohol and marijuana are two totally separate situations, treat them as such.
No Barry, they are not seperate subjects. Maybe in your eyes, because presumably, you consume one, and not the other. In my perspective, as I don’t consume either, they are both drugs – and both should be treated as such. The main point that I was making is that one should not be put on a pedestal, as alcohol is in our soceity, above anther. How can that be justified? Both are typically relaxants, but one, unlike the other, has literally an endless list of health benefits, Why is it that, that particular one is illegal, when incidentally, the one which causes over 3,000,000 deaths, or 6% of all global deaths, every year is legal, and legal?
Disgusting and irresponsible. More cheap trashy output from the masters of propaganda , and mediocrity.
I think this day and age between facebook and Twitter we know exactly what we do and why when drunk!!! just log into Facebook the morning after and all is revealed!!!
Stay classy RTE
Will Father Jack be on the judging panel????….
The chewing gum for the eyes is getting cheaper and cheaper
Been done before. Oliver Reed on Late Late!
RTE copy BBC again, and guess what ? It won’t be as Good as the BBC. Not an original thought between the people in RTE. it would never survive without the government.
More Sh.. from RTE!!!
What next!!!
Free drinks I have that and make a show of my self
Some drunks statements as excuses for having yet another drink.
‘ A bird never flew on one wing’.
‘May as well be hung for a sheep as for
‘Dey’d begrudge you a phu’kn pint.
‘Giv’us a rum n black- I have a cold’.
‘Ah-, ye’l be a long time dead’.
‘One for d road’.
And later at the RBT on the side of that road .
‘Dee ya take a drink yerself Gaurd?’
Where do I go to volunteer??
I think we can guess what happens when people drink. We are Irish
Paragraph 3
‘To get drink alcohol’ ????
I must be drunk already…
Under what conditions/subscriptions etc is it possible to legally not pay TV license?
As long as you don’t have a TV tuner or more specifiaally, any device that is capable of receiving TV channels. That’s why you should get yourself a big ass computer monitor and stick it up on the wall. More expensive but its worth it.
Don’t ever give them your name, if they get your name they have you. If you are currently not paying your licence the tv licence man will call to your residence and sometimes simply ask what your name is and leave, other times he will engage in small talk but his aim is also to get your full name. A couple of weeks after this encounter you will get a warning letter in your name asking you to pay. If you do not reply to this correspondence it will eventually be followed up by a summons to court also in your name and you will be legally obliged to go. If you are already paying and in permanent residence there’s nothing you can do. If you are not paying (or move house/apartment) and if anyone calls to your house asking your name politely ask them to leave.
It can be done its just awkward you’d have to go to court and argue that it’s only a legislative requirement. But for the love of god don’t go to court unless you or you have somebody that knows what they’re doing.
Continued – if you do not give your name all letters/summons will be addressed to “the occupant”, as this is not your name or anyone else’s name within the residence there is no legal entitlement for you to respond to that correspondence and/or go to court.
I’ll sign up if I can talk politics and religion while plastered! It’s my party trick, makes people dissappear and all :0
Heaven
Pick me!!! Pick me!!!
I can’t wait till John Stewart sees this idea. / sarcasm
Responsible serving of programmes…?
Im so glad theres more encouragement for young people to go out and get pissed! As if ireland as a nation isnt bad enough with the drink already! Wonder if it will show how violent some people get with a few drinks and will they keep filming if someones getting their head kicked in! Waste of time and money RTE!
Boycott tv license who in their right mind would appear on this show why do we continue to pay for this rubbish?’
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