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THE DECISION OF the outgoing government to delay property tax revaluations has been slammed by Europe.
The European Commission – the executive body of the European Union – has hit out at the move, saying that it could have been key to broadening Ireland’s tax base.
Back in October last year the government announced that the level of Local Property Tax, which was due for review this year, would remain frozen until 2019.
Hitting out at this, the annual report on Ireland’s finances said:
This decision represents a lost opportunity to broaden the tax base as residential property prices have increased substantially since the first self-assessment in 2013.
Its release was delayed until 10pm yesterday evening, just as polls were closing around the country.
What problems do we still have?
Beyond issues with property tax, the report zeroed in on other weak points in the Irish economy.
Although economy growth has been impressive, the GDP growth figures over the past two years have “probably overestimated the strength of the recovery”.
The big role that multinational companies play in the Irish economy leaves it open to external shocks, it noted.
Legacy issue from before the 2008 economic crash were also seen as a problem, with Ireland continuing to experience high levels of public and private debt.
Ireland still has one of the highest ratios of non-performing loans in the euro area.
The Good
Despite these negatives, it wasn’t all doom and gloom.
Ireland was praised for its “remarkable” recovery over the past two years having been “among the European countries most severely affected by the economic crisis when the real estate bubble burst in 2008″.
It was also noted that the recovery was job rich and that the unemployment rate had dropped to less than 9%.
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Lidl donuts for 59 cent are the best!
@Lily: Do they sell donuts?
@Insect Overlord: yes they sell Lidl donuts for 59 cents. Hard to see how you missed that in the previous comment. 59 cents. Lidl donuts. Just think 59 and Lidl and donuts. Write it on your hand now so you don’t forget.
Tá go leor daoine dúr anseo anois nach bhfuil?! Críost… I scuaine do taoschnónna…
There’s many stupid folks out there isn’t there?! Christ… queuing for doughnuts…
@TheJournalAsGaeilge:
Ah I see you have realised that without translation into a recognised language your comments where ignored.
Glad to see you have come to your senses.
@P.J. Nolan: Did you not recognise the first language. Duine dúr indeed
@John Doe:
Google translator is handy!! (even though I spent 10 years in a class with an Irish teacher)
@P.J. Nolan: Tá ceart agat, ní raibh siad ach as Gaeilge roimh sin. Ach bhí na freagartha agus drochíde a fuair mé scannalach ar fad. Is tír na gallaibh í fós, tá fhios agat féin…
You’re right. The comments used to be only in Irish, but the reactions and abuse I received for it was disgraceful. It’s a West Brit land still, you know yourself…
@P.J. Nolan: achrannach? Is cuma linn. Ná chur locht ar an teanga. Chur é ar an córas, agus ansin déan rud éigin.
Chip on your shoulder? We don’t care. Don’t blame the language, blame the system, and then do something about it.
@TheJournalAsGaeilge: with it’s pure capitalist ethos and compensation culture, our wee little Island has gone to the dogs. It’s such a shame as I’m probably of the last generation that experienced real Ireland, when folks actually cared more for each other than shoving donuts in their faces.
@TheJournalAsGaeilge:
while abuse is uncalled for this a bad place for someone thin skinned, but why don’t you throw out a few “West brit” insults while your at it, it’s bound to improve your argument.
The only part of the system that I have a problem with is the ridiculous amount of money spent on a dead language.
There is a very long list of better uses for it.
@Mr. H: sin é. Is trua mór é…
That’s it. What a shame….
@P.J. Nolan: Tá tú an duine soghonta, ceapaim. Ní raibh mé ach ag insint an fhírinne. Is gall thú. Is fuath leat Éire agus ár gcultúr féin. Mar sin féin, bhí an cáineadh i m’aghaidh gan ábhar! Is cuma le gnáth daoine má tá mo ráiteas as Gaeilge mar tá sé as Béarla chomh maith. Ach is gall thú agus mar sin, ní bhíonn tú ach ag tabhairt amach i gcónaí!
I think you’re the thin skinned one. I was only telling the truth. You are a West Brit. You hate Ireland and our culture. However the criticism against me was unjustified. Normal folks don’t care if my comments are in Irish because they are in English as well. But you’re a West Brit because you’re still always giving out! SAD!
Yet we have 50 or so too many Starbucks in Dublin.
@Keith Richardson: every Starbucks is one too many. Awful coffee.
@EillieEs:
someone must like it!
@P.J. Nolan: almost everybody bar the coffee snobs.
Remember the “we buy your gold” shops that appeared overnight and disappeared just as quick? Same thing here.
@Andy K:
A lot of those morphed into trading in electronic games and phones or pawn shops.
Please invest in a keyboard with a functioning spacebar.
5 doughnuts for a €1 in tesco….. as nice as any doughnut …..
@windbag: beat me to it.
@windbag: Dunnes do a bag of jam ones ‘yesterday’s bake’ that didn’t sell the previous day for only 50 cent for 6 and there darn marvelous ❤️
Doughnuts combine saturated fat, often hydrogenated, with large amounts of sugar. Fat and sugar combined is hugely unhealthy and also addictive.
@Fiona deFreyne: yum yum
@Fiona deFreyne: that’s why people love them. Live a little, eat a donought :) lettuce is not that fun
#notions
There should be a government health warning with every doughnut consumed….
I have planning permission in to the council for a fidget spinner kiosk, should have it up and running by the summer!!!!
Offbeat are off the scale in terms of yuminess.
to go along with the craft beer brewing, irish whiskey and gin bubbles!
@Minom Pnnomm:
I don’t doubt your right, a few good ones will survive, probably the ones that develop decent export markets.
Surely the cup cake stores morphed into doughnut stores.
I make my own. They’re yummy and all my friends love them.
Dublin doughnut co weren’t great and were smaller and more expensive than their competitors. If you want to survive you need to be able to compete with the best
Totally disagree, DDCo doughnuts were far superior in quality and taste. Bigger is not better. Perfect ratio of filling to pastry. Not sickly sweet like some of the others.
Hillary made hands down the best, by quite the distance
It’s a shame she left the market, but she did the right thing, so many poor doughnuts out there now, most will be out of business in a few years.
@Mark Smith: have to agree to disagree. Quality and taste of Offbeat and Rolling Donut are much better. The couple of times I had Dublin Donut co they didn’t have much flavour and weren’t really worth the money
@Sam Harms: I think that the above controversy will never be settled! When I lived in the States, it was the great Krispy Kremes vs Dunkin’ Donuts divide – people on both sides SWEARING that their own choice was infinitely better. Mind you, neither were charging €3 per doughnut….
Popped up even.
anyone know a place that makes blue berry-filled donuts (instead of typical raspberry or strawberry jam)?
Had them once at a function and they were magic. Haven’t been able to get them since:(
@Ciaran Henry: Angier Danger for the Blueberry.
In a moment of madness pickup some Offbeat ones up in Jarvis the other day. The red velvet ones were terrible, truly mass produced taste of them now. I’m sure they were better before they expanded massively.
Years ago the clothing industry fell apart due to foreign investment by the industry. Now small cafes delicatessens and manufacturers of specialist food products are in difficulty.
Places charging E3 for a doughnut should be charged with extortion, it’s pure greed and should not be supported.
There should be a government health warning with every doughnut consumed….
@Chris Kirk:
There should be a government health warning on all the government health warnings written…..
Obese millennial manna from gentrification heaven. What do you expect for the relaxed fit generation in Dublin. A Soul Cycle franchise in Portobello? No shortage of Operation Transformation seasons ahead…
humans : nothing more than sheep with clothes and a bit of technology
Dunkin Doughnuts Boston Cream was my favorite.
@Frank McCarthy: yes!
#Michael Lanigan: “while ingredients such as butter are substituted for margarine….” NO. you mean “while ingredients such as margarine are substituted for butter”. LEARN ENGLISH FFS!
No they’re no… they’re tasteless mass produced gunk
There’s alot of doughnuts out there in human form
Krispy Kreme yummy – when I lived in the USA I used to call it Donut Heaven!
The next craze: Porridge, Soup and Stew kiosks. You need six Bain-Maries, 10 gastronorms, a till, a fridge and dry storage for your 16oz pots, spoons & napkins. The food can be made offsite in a central kitchen.
Six different porridge choices (jumbo, pinhead, made on milk/water, summer-berry flavoured, etc), 10 topping options for breakfast (seeds, compotes/fruits/cream); six different soup flavours and 10 topping options/breads for lunch and six different stews (chowders, chilli-con-carne, etc) for dinner all the way to after the pubs shut.
I don’t know how, despite all the warnings about sugar and it’s link to obesity, donut-shops are even a thing. Surely there’s a bigger market for convenient access to healthy food?
This idea has been at the back of my mind for the last 7 years, I just wouldn’t have the wherewithal to set up a food business myself. I reckon it would be popular enough for one business to do well from it with a few well-placed kiosks/shops, particularly with health & fitness peeps. The trick is to provide as much variety from as little stock. Nobody wants to be buying the same porridge or soup every day, but with six main choices and 10 topping options you could have a different breakfast or lunch every day for two months without getting bored.
Just keep me in mind when you’re making your millions from it. Let’s say 1% commission on sales?
Please, somebody, run with this idea, it’s probably worth a go.
Why do we have to follow stupid, unhealthy and crass American fads?
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