REPAIR REBUILD RENEW - SINN FÉIN ALTERNATIVE BUDGET 2015 | CÁINAISNÉIS CHOMHROGHNACH SHINN FÉIN OCTOBER 2014
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REPAIR
Rebuild
Renew
Sinn Féin Alternative Budget 2015 | Cáinaisnéis Chomhroghnach Shinn Féin
October 2014
ATHCHÓIRIÚ
ÁTÓGÁIL
ATHNUACHAN
Cáinaisnéis Chomhroghnach Shinn Féin
Deireadh Fómhair 2014
Contents
Main Sections Renew Society
Raising living standards for the
most vulnerable 29
Introduction5
Addressing the crisis in the health service 30
Overall Balance Sheet 20156
Back to School more affordable 32
Réamhrá7
Irish language and the Gaeltacht areas 33
Sinn Féin Budget 2015 Proposals 9
Moltaí Buiséid Shinn Féin 2015 15
Rebuild Economy Repair Community
Tax measures – easing the Better Build Programme 35
burden on ordinary families 20
Getting the Economics of Growth Right 37
Eliminating Ongoing Waste
A strong island economy is
in Public Spending 23
central to economic recovery 41
Measures the government
were unable to cost 26
4
Introduction
Repair Community | Rebuild Economy | Renew Society
Budget 2015 provides an opportunity for a real step able to meet daily living expenses without going
change in relation to the government’s economic into debt. It is a sad indictment of this government
policy. The government have stated that a fiscally that a job is no longer a guarantee of at least being
neutral adjustment will deliver the 3% target. able to make ends meet.
We reject calls of some to go further in deficit
reduction as unfair and hurtful to recovery. Side by side with this onslaught has been the
decimation of our public services. There is a crisis
Therefore the priority must be to start to undo in the health service with a dramatic rise in waiting
the damage done to the economy and to wider lists over the last nine months,
society by the bad political choices made by Fianna
Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour. The deficit could have There is a rapidly worsening housing crisis with
been reduced in a fair and sustainable manner. high numbers in mortgage arrears, rents rising out
Instead those on low to middle incomes and our of control in some cities, a lack of social housing
public services were targeted, through a policy and rising homelessness.
of relentless austerity over and over again and Incredibly, in advance of Budget 2015 the
hundreds of thousands of people were forced to government has signalled their intention to
emigrate. increase the entry point to the higher tax rate band.
The theme of our pre-budget submission is This is Labour and Fine Gael’s idea of ‘tax back’ for
Repair Community – Rebuild Economy – Renew workers. This will help 17% of top earners and
Society. This is a budget that is fair, affordable and ignores more than one and a half million workers.
sustainable, which eases the burden on ordinary What is needed is a budget to deal with these
families, restores dignity to those most vulnerable problems. What is needed is a fair and sustainable
in society and puts citizens first, prioritises recovery, not an unequal and temporary recovery.
investment in health and education, starts to deal
with the housing crisis and improves the domestic
economy.
In Budget 2015 Sinn Féin will:
In the three years since this government came to
power just 47,100 net new jobs have been created, Put €800 million back into the pockets of
and just 5,500 of these were in the first six months ordinary workers through the abolition of the
of this year. There are 28,000 less young people in property tax and by stopping water charges.
employment since Labour and Fine Gael entered Invest an additional €202.6 million in disability
Government. There are currently 374,800 people services and supports.
on the live register.
Prioritise investment in health and education
The failure of the government to deal with to make back to school more affordable
retrospective bank capitalisation has locked future and recruit an additional 1,000 nurses and
generations into debt and placed an unsustainable midwives.
burden on the economy.
Help stop forced emigration of our young
Wages for many low to middle income families people by restoring the Jobseekers payment
have shrunk so much after six years of pay cuts and for those under 26 over two years.
new taxes and charges that many are no longer
Sinn Féin Alternative Budget - October 2014 5
Invest €1billion from the Strategic Investment
Fund to build an additional 6,600 homes over
Overall Balance Sheet
the next 18 months and create 8,000 jobs
Reduce salaries and allowances of high
earners in the public sector and Oireachtas.
Tax income €1,701.70
The cost of bad decision
making from Fianna Fáil, Tax Spend -€1,053.00
Fine Gael and Labour:
374,800 people are on the live register and Adjustment for partial year -€385.00
almost half of these are long term claimants.
Only 47,100 net new jobs have been
created since Fine Gael and Labour entered
Government, with just 5,500 in the first six Savings €231.59
months of this year.
As a result of seven austerity budgets there
are 32,000 less people working in our public Departmental Spend -€495.29
services with the resulting pressures for all to
see.
360,753 people on outpatient waiting lists.
Budget adjustment €0
Almost 38,000 have been waiting more than
12 months for an appointment (National
Treatment Purchase Fund July 2014)
126,000 family homes in mortgage arrears
(Central Bank Q2 2014) and almost 89,000 on
housing waiting lists.
It will cost over €8 billion to service the
national debt in 2015. Government debt to
GDP ratio continues at the unsustainable level
of around 120%.
6
Réamhrá
ATHCHÓIRIÚ AN PHOBAIL | ÁTÓGÁIL AN GHEILLEAGAIR | ATHNUACHAN NA SOCHAÍ
Deis atá i mBuiséad 2015 céim chun leasaithe As siocair gur theip ar an rialtas caipitliú
a dhéanamh maidir le polasaí geilleagarach siarghabhálach a shocrú beidh fiacha ar na glúnta
an rialtais. Tá sé curtha in iúl ag an rialtas go amach romhainn agus ualach neamh-inbhuanaithe
n-aimseofar an sprioc de 3% mar thoradh ar ar an ngeilleagar dá bharr.
choigeartú neodrach fioscach. Séanaimid na
glaonna gur chóir dúinn tuilleadh den easnamh a Tháinig laghdú chomh mór sin ar theaghlaigh atá
laghdú as siocair go bhfuil sí míchothrom agus go ar ioncam íseal agus ar mheánioncam i ndiaidh
ndéanfaidh sé dochar don téarnamh. sé bliana de chiorruithe tuarastail agus cánacha
agus muirear nua go bhfuil cuid mhór ann anois
Dá bhrí sin, ní mór tús áite a thabhairt don nach bhfuil sé ar acmhainn acu gnáthchostais
damáiste atá déanta don gheilleagar agus don mhaireachtála an lae a íoc gan fiacha a tharraing
sochaí go ginearálta a leasú, damáiste a rinneadh orthu féin. Is cúis náire don rialtas é nach ionann
mar gheall ar na drochroghanna a rinne Fianna Fáil, post a bheith ag duine agus cinnteacht go mbeifear
Fine Gael agus Páirtí an Lucht Oibre. D’fhéadfaí in ann beatha a thabhairt i dtír.
an t-easnamh a laghdú ar bhealach cothrom agus
inbhuanaithe. Ina áit sin, díríodh isteach orthu siúd Taobh leis taobh leis an ionsaí seo, tá an scrios ar
ar ioncaim ísle go meánioncaim agus ar ár seirbhísí ár seirbhísí poiblí. Tá géarchéim sa tseirbhís sláinte
poiblí, trí pholasaí déine a bhí gan stad ná staonadh agus ardú ollmhór ar na liostaí feithimh sna naoi mí
arís agus arís eile agus tugadh ar na mílte duine dul a chuaigh romhainn,
ar imirce. Tá an ghéarchéim tithíochta ag dul in olcas agus
Is é téama ár n-aighneachta réamhbhuiséid ná cuid mhó daoine i riaráiste morgáiste, cíosanna
Athchóiriú an Phobail - Átógáil an Gheilleagair ag ardú gan smacht i gcathracha áirithe, easpa
- Athnuachan na Sochaí Is buiséad é seo atá tithíochta sóisialta agus ardú ag teacht ar líon na
cothrom, inacmhainne agus inbhuanaithe, a ndaoine atá gan dídean.
laghdaíonn an t-ualach ar ghnáth-theaghlaigh, a Is ábhar iontais é, roimh Bhuiséad 2015, go bhfuil
thugann dínit ar ais dóibh siúd is mó atá i mbaol sé curtha in iúl ag an rialtas go bhfuil sé beartaithe
agus a chuireann saoránaigh chun tosaigh, a aige an pointe iontrála chuig an mbanda is airde
thugann tús áite d’infheistíocht i sláinte agus san ráta cánach a ardú. Is é seo an tuairim atá ag Páirtí
oideachas, a thosaíonn a bheith ag plé leis an an Lucht Oibre agus Fine Gael ar ‘cháin ar áis’ do
ngéarchéim tithíochta agus a fheabhsaíonn an na oibrithe. Cuideoidh sé seo le 17% den lucht
geilleagar sa bhaile. ardioncaim agus déanann sé neamhaird ar bhreis
Sna trí bliana ó tháinig an Rialtas seo i réim agus milliún go leith oibrithe.
níor cruthaíodh ach 47,100 post nua, agus níor Is éard atá ag teastáil ná buiséad a rachaidh i ngleic
cruthaigh ach 5,500 acu siúd sna chéad sé mhí den leis na fadhbanna seo. Is éard atá ag teastáil ná
bhliain. Tá 28,000 níos lú daoine óga fostaithe ó téarnamh cothrom agus inbhuanaithe, ní téarnamh
tháinig an Lucht Oibre agus Fine Gael isteach sa míchothrom agus sealadach.
rialtas. I láthair na huaire tá 374,800 duine ar an
gclár beo.
Sinn Féin Alternative Budget - October 2014 7
Mar thoradh ar sheacht mbuiséad déine, tá
I mBuiséad 2015, déanfaidh
32,000 níos lú daoine ag obair inár seirbhísí
Sinn Féin an méid seo a poiblí agus tá an brú a eascraíonn as seo le
leanas: feiceáil.
360,753 ar liostaí feithimh d’othair
sheachtracha. Tá beagnach 38,000 ag
Cuirfidh sé €800 milliún ar ais i bpócaí na
feitheamh ar feadh breis agus 12 mhí ar
gnáthmhuintire tríd an gcáin mhaoine a chur
choinne (an Ciste Náisiúnta um Cheannach
ar ceal agus trí chosc a chur ar mhuirir uisce.
Cóireála Iúil 2014)
Déanfaidh infheistíocht de €182 milliún a chur
126,000 teach teaghlaigh i riaráiste morgáiste
isteach i seirbhísí míchumais agus tacaíochtaí
(Banc Ceannais Dara Ceathrú 2014) agus breis
níos forleithne.
agus 89,000 ar liostaí feithimh do thithe.
Déanfaidh sé tús áite den infheistíocht i
Cosnóidh sé breis agus €8 billiún chun an
sláinte agus san oideachas le filleadh ar scoil
fiachas náisiúnta a sheirbhísiú i 2015. Tá
a dhéanamh níos inacmhainne agus le 1,000
cóimheas fiachas go GDP an rialtais go fóill
banaltra agus bean ghlúine a earcú.
ag leibhéal neamh-inbhuanaithe de thart ar
Cuideoidh sé le deireadh a chur le heisimirce
120%.
éigeantach an aosa óig tríd íocaíocht
Cuardaitheora Poist a chur ar bun arís dóibh
siúd atá níos óige ná 26 bliain thar dhá bhliain.
Déanfaidh sé infheistíocht de €1billiún ón
gCiste Infheistíocht Straitéiseach chun6,600
teach sa bhreis a thógáil san 18 mí atá
romhainn agus 8,000 post a chruthú
Tuarastail agus liúntais lucht ardioncaim san
earnáil phoiblí agus san Oireachtas a laghdú.
Toradh na droch-
chinnteoireachta ó
Fhianna Fáil, Fine Gael agus
Páirtí an Lucht Oibre:
374,800 ar an gclár beo agus tá beagnach
leathchuid acu siúd ina n-éilitheoirí go
fadtéarmach.
Ó tháinig an Rialtas Fhine Gael agus Pháirtí
an Lucht Oibre seo i réim níor cruthaíodh ach
47,100 post nua, agus níor cruthaigh ach 5,500
acu siúd sna chéad sé mhí den bhliain.
8
Sinn Féin Budget 2015 proposals
TaX
Easing the Tax Burden on ordinary families Costing
Save 1.8 million homeowners an average of €278 per annum by abolishing the Cost
property tax. €500 million
Cost
Don’t introduce water charges.
€300 million
Cost
Take 296,000 people earning below €17,542 out of the Universal Social Charge.
€138 million
Keep 7% exemption USC rate for medical cardholders with an aggregate income Cost
below €60,000. €115 million
New tax measures
Wealth and Property taxes Costing
Raises
Re-introduce the second home charge, increasing it from €200 to €400 per annum.
€144 million
Raises
Increase CGT to 40%.
€116 million
Raises
Increase CAT to 40% and introduce a 15% reduction in group thresholds.
€112 million
Increase once-off charge for establishing a discretionary trust by 1% and the annual Raises
charge from 1% to 1.5%. €0.8 million
Raises
Reduce windfall tax to 41% for a period of two years to release land for housing.
€0 million
Stamp Duty and Excise duties Costing
Raises
Increase stamp duty on share transactions from 1% to 1.1%.
€29 million
Raises
A 20 cent increase in excise duty on a packet of cigarettes.
€29.4 million
Raises
Increase betting shop tax to be applied to the customer to 3%.
€50 million
Sinn Féin Alternative Budget - October 2014 9
Income tax Costing
Raises
Introduce new 3rd rate of tax of 48% on income earned in excess of €100,000.
€448 million
PRSI & USC Costing
Introduce a new employers’ rate of PRSI of 15.75% on the portion of salary paid in Raises
excess of €100,000 per annum. €136 million
Raises
Retain 10% USC for self-employed over €100,000.
€123 million
Tax Relief and Tax evasion Costing
Raises
Reduce mortgage interest deductions against rent for landlords from 75% to 60%.
€57 million
Raises
Increase Revenue Commissioner activity to target tax evasion. €70 million in
first year
Raises
Standardise section 23 tax relief. €4.5 million
Raises
Standardise Film Relief. €37 million
Pensions Costing
Reduce the earnings cap for pension contributions from €115,000 per annum to Raises
€70,000 per annum. €110 million
Standardise the relief at which tax back can be claimed. Beginning with a reduction Raises
to 28% in 2015. €235 million
10Spending
Raising Living Standards for the most vulnerable Costing
Cost
Increase Family Income Supplement by 10%.
€33 million
Cost
Increase the Respite Care Grant by €325.
€29.6 million
Over the next two budgets restore the maximum rates for young Jobseekers of Cost
€188. In Budget 2015 we would increase it by €40 per week. €89 million
Cost
Add a telephone allowance of €9.50 per month to the Living Alone increase.
€20.6 million
Cost
Raise the One Parent Family Payment income disregard to €120. €15.3 million
Cost
Introduce 4,000 additional Community Employment Scheme places. €13.6 million
Cost
Increase investment in the Employability Service. €1.5 million
Cost
Reinstate the Solas Training Allowance. €6.7 million
Cost
Re-open the Diet Supplement Scheme. €500,000
Cost
Increase Fuel Allowance by 3 weeks. €23.9 million
Cost
Restore Farm Assist. €3.4 million
A 10% increase in funding on emergency accommodation including Cost
women’s refuge centres. €3.2 million
Cost
Increase funding for Traveller’s Initiatives. €450,000
Cost
Increase funding to the National Disability Authority budget. €230,000
Sinn Féin Alternative Budget - October 2014 11Addressing the crisis in the health service Costing
Increase funding to disability services including but not limited to community Cost
physios, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists. €31.3 million
Cost
Put in place an additional 1,000 nurses and midwives posts.
€40.2 million
Additional funding for suicide prevention and awareness and for roll-out of Suicide Cost
Crisis Assessment Nurses and counselling in primary care and liaison nurses in A&E. €18.7 million
Increased emergency ambulance cover – 2 additional ambulances including Cost
personnel for each of the four regions. €6.67 million
As a first step in phasing them out, reduce the charge per prescription for Cost
medical card-holders by €0.50. €25 million
Cost
Increase budget for discretionary medical cards. €13 million
Extend the BreastCheck programme to women aged between 65 and 69 Cost
years of age. €2.9 million
Back to School more affordable Costing
Put in place a fund to make a free pre-school year more accessible to children with Cost
disabilities based on the full 15 hours a week. €12 million
Cost
Increase the number of resource teachers by 1,000. €45 million
Cost
Increase the capitation grant to primary and post-primary schools. €3.3 million
Increase the Capitation Rates for VTOS, YouthReach, BTEI, PLC and Adult Cost
Literacy. €1 million
Cost
Increase Back to Education Allowance for under 26s to €188. €3 million
Cost
Increase funding to school meal programme by 15%. €5.55 million
Cost
Increase funding to school books grant by 30%. €4.5 million
Cost
Increase the annual Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance by €50. €15.5 million
Frontline Workers Costing
We are also proposing that €20 million be ringfenced to ensure frontline posts could Cost
be rehired or filled where necessity demands it. €20 million
12Irish language and Gaeltacht areas Costing
Cost
Increase capital budget of Údarás na Gaeltachta by 50%.
€3 million
Cost
Increase funding to Foras na Gaeilge.
€2 million
Increase funding for the implementation of the 20-year strategy on the Irish Cost
language. €1.69 million
Savings Measures
Public Pay and Pensions Costing
Reductions in public sector pay and pensions, including 15% reduction in public Saves
sector salaries between €100,000 & €150,000 and 30% on income over €150,000. €23.02 million
Oireachtas Pay and Allowances Costing
Reductions in Oireachtas Pay and Allowances, including Taoiseach and Ministers
Saves
reduced by 50% of everything over €75,000, and TDs and Senators reduced to
€3.88 million
€75,000 and €60,000.
General Government Expenditure Costing
Reduce Professional fees and general department spend on travel and training by Saves
10%. €27.2 million
Public expenditure Costing
Saves
End the State subsidy of private care in public hospitals.
€107.29 million
Saves
2% reduction in branded medicines. €21 million
Saves
Phased withdrawal of private school annual state subsidy over five years. €20.6 million
Saves
Wind-down JobBridge Scheme. €10.3 million
Saves
Cancel Gateway Scheme. €3.1 million
Saves
Greater use of JobsPlus. €15.2 million
Sinn Féin Alternative Budget - October 2014 1314
Moltaí Buiséid Shinn Féin 2015
Cáin
An tUalach Cánach ar ghnáth-theaghlaigh a laghdú Costas
€278 sa bhliain ar an meán a shábháil d’úinéirí tí gach bliain tríd an gcáin Costas
réadmhaoine a chur ar ceal. €500 milliún
Costas
Gan muirir uisce a thabhairt isteach.
€300 milliún
296,000 duine a thuilleann níos lú ná €17,542 a ghlacadh amach as an Muirear Costas
Sóisialta Uilíoch. €138 milliún
Ráta díolúine USC de 7% a choinneáil do shealbhóirí cárta leighis dóibh siúd a bhfuil Costas
ioncam níos lú ná €60,000 acu. €115 milliún
Bearta Nua Cánach
Cáin Rachmais agus Mhaoine Costas
An muirear ar áit chónaithe thánaisteach a thabhairt isteach, agus é a ardú ó €200 Ardófar
go €400 sa bhliain. €144 milliún
Ardófar
CGT a ardú go 40%.
€116 milliún
Cáin Fháltas Caipitiúil a ardú go 40% agus laghdú de 15% a thabhairt isteach i dtairsí Ardófar
grúpa. €112 milliún
Muirear aonuaire a ardú 1% nuair a bhíonn iontaobhas lánroghnach á thabhairt Ardófar
isteach agus an costas bliantúil a ardú ó 1% go 1.5%. €0.8 milliún
Cáin amhantair a laghdú go 41% ar feadh tréimhse dhá bhliain le talamh a Ardófar
scaoileadh le haghaidh tithíochta. €0 milliún
Dleacht Stampála agus Dleacht Máil Costas
Ardófar
Dleacht stampála ar idirbhearta scaireanna a ardú ó 1% go 1.1%.
€29 milliún
Ardófar
Ardú 20 cent i ndleacht máil ar bhosca toitíní.
€29.4 milliún
An cháin ar shiopaí geallghlacadóireachta a ardú go 3% ach a chur i bhfeidhm ar an Ardófar
gcustaiméir. €50 milliún
Sinn Féin Alternative Budget - October 2014 15Cáin Ioncaim Costas
3ú ráta nua cánach de 48% a thabhairt isteach ar ioncam a thuilltear atá thar Ardófar
€100,000. €448 milliún
ÁSPC & USC Costas
Ráta nua fostóra ÁSPC de 15.75% a thabhairt isteach ar chuid an tuarastail thar Ardófar
€100,000 a íoctar gach bliain. €136 milliún
Ardófar
Ráta 10% USC thar €100,000 a choinneáil dóibh siúd atá féinfhostaithe.
€123 milliún
Faoiseamh Cánach agus Imghabháil Cánach Costas
Ardófar
Asbhaintí úis mhorgáiste a laghdú in aghaidh cíosa do thiarnaí talún ó 75% go 60%.
€57 milliún
Gníomhaíocht an Choimisinéara Ioncaim a mhéadú le díriú isteach ar imghabháil Ardófar
€70 milliún in
cánach. first year
Ardófar
Faoiseamh cánach mír 23 a chaighdeánú.
€4.5 milliún
Ardófar
Faoiseamh Scannáin a chaighdeánú.
€37 milliún
Pinsin Costas
Teorainn tuillimh a laghdú le haghaidh ranníocaíochtaí pinsin ó €115,000 sa bhliain Ardófar
go €70,000 sa bhliain. €110 milliún
An leibhéal faoisimh ar ar féidir cáin a éileamh ar ais a chaighdeánú, ag tosú le Ardófar
laghdú 28% i 2015. €235 milliún
16AN MHÍR CHAITEACHAIS
Caighdeáin Mhaireachtála a ardú dóibh siúd is mó atá i mbaol Costas
Costas
An Forlíonadh Ioncam Teaghlaigh a ardú 10%.
€33 milliún
Costas
An Deontas Cúraim Faoisimh a ardú le €325.
€29.6 milliún
Thar thréimhse ama an dá bhuiséad atá romhainn, an ráta do Chuardaitheoirí Poist a Costas
ardú go €188. I mBuiséad 2015, d’ardóimis é €40 sa tseachtain. €89 milliún
Costas
Liúntas gutháin €9.50 sa mhí a chur leis an Liúntas Maireachtála Aonair.
€20.6 milliún
Costas
An neamhaird ar Íocaíocht Teaghlaigh Aontuismitheora ar ardú go €120.
€15.3 milliún
Costas
4,000 áit sa bhreis a thabhairt isteach ar Scéimeanna Fostaíochta Pobail.
€13.6 milliún
Costas
Infheistíocht a ardú sa tSeirbhís Fostaíochta.
€1.5 milliún
Costas
An Liúntas Oiliúna Solas a chur ar bun arís.
€6.7 milliún
Costas
An Scéim Forlíonta Cothaithe a oscailt arís.
€500,000
Costas
An Liúntas Breosla a mhéadú le 3 seachtain.
€23.9 milliún
Costas
Cúnamh Feirme a chur ar bun arís.
€3.4 milliún
Méadú 10% ar mhaoiniú ar chóiríocht éigeandála lena n-áirítear lárionaid tearmainn Costas
do mhná. €3.2 milliún
Costas
Maoiniú a mhéadú le haghaidh tograí a bhaineann leis an Lucht Taistil.
€450,000
Costas
Maoiniú do bhuiséad an Údaráis Náisiúnta Míchumais a ardú.
€230,000
Sinn Féin Alternative Budget - October 2014 17Dul i ngleic leis an éigeandáil sa tseirbhís sláinte Costas
Maoiniú do sheirbhísí míchumais a mhéadú lena n-áirítear ach ní teoranta Costas
d’fhisiteiripeoirí pobail, teiripeoirí urlabhraíochta agus teanga agus teiripeoirí ceirde. €31.3 milliún
Costas
1,000 post sa bhreis do bhanaltraí agus do mhná glúine a chur ar fáil.
€40.2 milliún
Maoiniú breise le haghaidh féinmharú a chosc agus a thuiscint agus chun Banaltraí
Costas
Measúnaithe Géarchéim Féinmharaithe a fheidhmiú go céimneach agus le
€18.7 milliún
haghaidh comhairleoireachta i gcúram príomhúil agus banaltraí teagmhála in A&E.
Clúdach breise otharcharr a mhéadú - 2 otharcharr breise agus pearsanra do gach Costas
ceann de na ceithre réigiún. €6.67 milliún
Mar chéad chéim chun iad a chéimniú amach, an muirear ar oideas do shealbhóirí Costas
cártaí leighis a laghdú €0.50. €25 milliún
Costas
An buiséad le haghaidh cártaí lánroghnacha leighis a mhéadú.
€13 milliún
Costas
An clár BreastCheck a leathnú do mhná idir 65 agus 69 bliain d’aois.
€2.9 milliún
Filleadh ar Scoil a dhéanamh níos inacmhainne Costas
Ciste a bhunú le bliain saor in aisce réamhscolaíochta a dhéanamh níos inrochtana Costas
do pháistí míchumasaithe bunaithe ar 15 uair sa bhliain. €12 milliún
Costas
Líon na múinteoirí acmhainne a mhéadú le 1,000.
€45 milliún
Costas
An deontas caipitíochta a mhéadú do bhunscoileanna agus d’iarbhunscoileanna.
€3.3 milliún
Na rátaí Caipitíochta le haghaidh VTOS, YouthReach, BTEI, PLC agus Litearthacht Costas
d’Aosaigh a mhéadú. €1 milliún
Costas
An Liúntas um Filleadh ar Oideachas do dhaoine faoi 26 a ardú go €188. €3 milliún
Costas
An maoiniú don chlár béile scoile a mhéadú 15%.
€5.55 milliún
Costas
An maoiniú don deontas leabhar scoile a mhéadú 30%.
€4.5 milliún
Costas
An Liúntas bliantúil Éadaí agus Coisbheart um Filleadh ar Scoil a mhéadú le €50.
€15.5 milliún
Oibrithe Túslíne Costas
Táimid ag moladh freisin go ndéanfar €20 milliún a imfhálú lena chinntiú go Costas
bhféadfaí poist túslíne a athfhostú nó a líonadh de réir mar a bhíonn gá leis. €20 milliún
18An Ghaeilge agus Ceantair Ghaeltachta Costas
Costas
Buiséad Caipitil Údarás na Gaeltacht a mhéadú 50%.
€3 milliún
Costas
An maoiniú d’Fhoras na Gaeilge a mhéadú.
€2 milliún
Costas
Maoiniú a mhéad le Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge a chur i bhfeidhm.
€1.69 milliún
Beartais Choigiltis
Pá Poiblí agus Pinsin Costas
Laghduithe i dtuarastail agus i bpinsin san earnáil phoiblí, lena n-áirítear laghdú
Coigilteas
15% i dtuarastail san earnáil phoiblí idir €100,000 agus €150,000 agus 30% ar
€23.02 milliún
ioncam thart €150,000.
Tuarastal agus Liúntas an Oireachtais Costas
Laghduithe i dTuarastal agus i Liúntas an Oireachtais, lena n-áirítear laghdú 50%
Coigilteas
ar thuarastal an Taoisigh agus na nAirí ar a dtuilltear thar €75,000 agus TD agus
€3.88 milliún
Seanadóirí laghdaithe go €75,000 agus €60,000.
Caiteachas Ginearálta an Rialtais Costas
Táillí proifisiúnta agus caiteachas ginearálta na roinne ar thaisteal agus ar oiliúint a Coigilteas
laghdú 10%. €27.2 milliún
An Earnáil Phoiblí Costas
Coigilteas
Deireadh a chur le cúram príobháideach in otharlanna poiblí a fhóirdheonú.
€107.29 milliún
Coigilteas
Laghdú 2% ar leighis bhrandáilte.
€21 milliún
An fóirdheontas a thugtar ar bhonn bliantúil ón stát go scoileanna príobháideacha a Coigilteas
chéimniú amach thar chúig bliana. €20.6 milliún
Coigilteas
Deireadh a chur de réir a chéile leis an Scéim JobBridge.
€10.3 milliún
Coigilteas
Deireadh a chur leis an Scéim Gateway.
€3.1 milliún
Úsáid níos fearr le baint as JobsPlus. Bunaithe ar mheasúnacht choimeádach de Coigilteas
5,000 post, bheadh coigilteas de €15.2 milliún ann. €15.2 milliún
Sinn Féin Alternative Budget - October 2014 19REBUILD ECONOMY
Tax measures – easing the burden
on ordinary families
Budget 2015 has to address the over-taxing
of ordinary families and ensure tax revenue Easing the burden on those
is generated from sources less harmful to the hardest hit by the recession
functioning of the domestic economy, i.e. from
wealth and tax reliefs. Tax can only be fair when Abolition of property tax
it takes into account ability to pay. Sinn Féin’s Abolishing the unfair property tax will act
priority for Budget 2015 is to ease the burden on as a massive financial stimulus for low- and
those hardest hit by the recession, to support the middle-income families, and boost the local
domestic economy and to ensure there is finance economy by restoring some disposable
for investment in frontline public services. spending. It will save 1.8 million home-owners
Sinn Féin do not believe the time is right to reduce an average of €278 per annum. This will cost
income tax rates. A cut to the higher rate or an €500 million.
increase to the entry point to the higher tax rate
band would benefit the wealthier exponentially.
Stop water charges
After more than half a decade of austerity our Sinn Féin is opposed to domestic water
priority is putting money back in people’s pocket charges. These charges will only cause further
by abolishing regressive taxes. The lower and hardship for families already struggling to
middle income earners need a break and ending make ends meet and mean that households
the Local Property tax and water charges is the will be double-charged for water. This will
fairest way to do that. cost €300 million.
The figures below were provided to Sinn Féin by
the Department of Finance’s costing unit. The full
Universal Social Charge
year figure is included with the proposal, with
exemption
an adjustment allowed in our final figures for the 296,000 working people earning as low as
partial year effect of each measure. between €193 and €337 per week, pay USC on
their gross wage (2% on first €10,036, 4% on
next €5,980 and 7% on the rest). Exempting
income earners below €17,542 from the
Universal Social Charge will cost €138
million.
Keep 7% Exemption USC rate for
medical cardholders
Keep 7% exemption USC rate for medical
cardholders with an aggregate income below
€60,000. Cost €115 million.
20Windfall tax
Wealth & property taxes
We would reduce the Windfall tax to 41% for a
period of two years to release land for housing
Non-Principal Private Residence need. This measure is cost neutral.
tax
Sinn Féin would re-introduce the second
home charge, and increase it from €200 to Stamp & excise duties
€400 per annum. This would raise €144
million. Stamp duty
The government has stated its opposition to a
Wealth Trusts Finance Transaction Tax, or Tobin tax, because
Discretionary trust tax consists of an initial we already have a tax on financial transactions
levy and an annual levy. There is an exemption and instruments. We believe more can be
for trusts created exclusively for incapacitated generated from this area and would increase
persons. Discretionary trust tax applies the stamp duty on share transactions from 1%
to the entire value of the fund. We would to 1.1%. This measure raises €29 million.
increase the once-off charge for establishing
a discretionary trust by 1% (currently 6%) and Betting Tax
the annual charge from 1% to 1.5%, raising Increase betting shop tax to be applied to the
€800,000 customer to 3%. Raises €50 million.
Capital Gains Tax Cigarettes
Restore Capital Gains Tax (CGT) to 40% (from Thousands of people die from smoking
33% at present). The tax applies to profit gains. relating illnesses each year. The cost to the
We would like to see this tax reformed by health service of providing care to those with
ensuring that it is divided into two categories long-term illnesses caused by smoking runs
with passive activity such as trading in shares into hundreds of millions. We support the
taxed at a higher rate than active business calls of the Irish Heart Foundation and Irish
development. The Department of Finance Cancer Society to increase the taxation take
was unable to provide that level of detail in its from cigarettes and simultaneously introduce
costing, but it is something we would explore measures to reduce the tobacco industry’s
in Government. The percentage increase profits from cigarettes. Our simultaneous
would raise €116 million. measure to fund the Revenue Commissioners
to increase activity to clamp down on
Capital Acquisitions Tax black market activity should contribute
Capital Acquisitions Tax (CAT) is a tax on to protecting against a rise in the illegal
gifts and inheritance. We would raise the cigarette market. A 20 cent increase in excise
rate of CAT from 33% to 40% and introduce duty on a packet of cigarettes will raise
a 15% reduction in group thresholds. These €29.4million.
measures raise €112 million.
Sinn Féin Alternative Budget - October 2014 21Reduce landlord tax relief
INCOME TAX
Currently, landlords who have mortgages on
their properties can write off their mortgage
New income band and rate
interest payments against the tax bill levied
Sinn Féin would increase the tax paid on on the rental income from those properties.
income over €100,000 by 7 cent in each euro. Rent yields have been rising and we do not
This measure raises €448 million. believe the State should be supplementing
landlords to this extent. We would reduce
mortgage interest deduction allowable
PRSI & USC against rental income from 75% to 60%,
raising €57 million.
Employers’ PRSI
Other reliefs
Irish employers’ PRSI contributions are starkly
low and we have a huge deficit in the Social We would standardise section 23 tax relief
Insurance Fund. However, now is not the time which raises €4.5 million and standardise
to transfer additional costs on to employers Film Relief which would raise €37 million.
in any blanket move. We would introduce a
new employers’ rate of PRSI of 15.75% on the
portion of salary paid in excess of €100,000 PENSIONS
per annum. This measure raises €136
Ceiling cap and standardising
million.
the rate
We would retain 10% USC for self employed
over €100,000. This measure raises €123 The current ‘earnings cap’ recognises
million. €115,000 per annum (whatever your salary
is) as the maximum salary against which
percentages are calculated for pension tax
TAX RELIEFS & TAX EVASION reliefs. We would reduce the earnings cap for
pension contributions to €70,000 per annum,
Tax evasion which would raise €110 million. We would
standardise the relief at which tax back can be
As part of its Comprehensive Review of
claimed, beginning with a reduction to 28% in
Expenditure, the Revenue Commissioners
2015. This raises €235 million.
identified how tax take could be increased
through hiring 125 qualified revenue staff (at
a cost of €6.5 million allowed for in our fund
for additional hiring), to bring in an additional
€100 million per annum by targeting tax
evasion and black market activity. We believe
that this would bring in €70 million in the first
year.
22ELIMINATING ONGOING WASTE IN PUBLIC SPENDING
Since 2009 seven austerity budgets delivered In addition to these pay reductions, we would:
by the Fianna Fáil-Greens and Fine Gael-Labour
Withdraw the Super Junior Ministers
governments have slashed public jobs, public pay
allowance.
and public services. The cuts to essential frontline
Withdraw the Oireachtas Officeholders
workers and frontline services have hit our most
allowances (to the Ceann Comhairle, Leas-
vulnerable citizens hardest, and have left the
Ceann Comhairle, Cathaoirleach, Leas-
healthcare system in particular in a state of chaos.
Cathaoirleach and Leader of the Seanad, and
In contrast, and despite three previous others).
opportunities to do so, the Fine Gael-Labour Withdraw the Committee Chair allowances.
government has chosen not to use the full potential Withdraw the Houses of the Oireachtas
of the budget to end waste in the spending of Commission allowances
public monies on items like management pay Withdraw Oireachtas members mobile phone
and perks and private consultancy fees. This has allowance.
been to the benefit of the golden circle and the Cap Special Advisor Pay
detriment of the rest of us.
The following proposals set out ways of eliminating Combined, these proposals would reduce
the remaining waste in public spending by Oireachtas expenditure by €3.88 million.
aiming at the heart of the entrenched culture of
entitlement and excess – without attacking either
Reduce Excess Pay and Pensions
the public services or the public sector workers that
at Management Level in the
citizens depend on.
Public Sector
Quite inexplicably, after a succession of austerity
Reduce Oireachtas Pay and budgets that have required significant sacrifice by
Allowances the low paid, pay at the top of our civil and public
Any further expenditure reductions for 2015 must service still remains high compared to European
start with elected representatives’ own pay and standards. All the while, nurses, Gardaí, fire brigade
allowances. Fat remains, therefore reductions can members, teachers and other frontline public
still be made. workers have endured cut after cut.
In Budget 2015 we would: Sinn Féin in government will pursue a full fairness
review of all public sector pay, and bring high pay
Reduce by 50% the portion of pay to the
(as a multiple of the administrative grades) into line
Taoiseach, Ministers and Ministers of State that
with other European countries.
is over and above their basic TD salary.
Reduce TDs pay to €75,000 and Senators pay In Budget 2015 we would:
to €60,000.
Reduce by 15% public sector salary income
between €100,000 and €150,000 and reduce
by 30% public sector salary income in excess
of €150,000. Saves €4.5 million
Sinn Féin Alternative Budget - October 2014 23We would also: We would end the State subsidy of private
care in public hospitals. Saves €107.29
Reduce by 10% commercial semi-State
million.
company CEO pay. Saves €500,000
For Budget 2015, we propose to reduce the
Reduce by 10% the non-commercial State-
State’s drugs bill for branded medicines
sponsored bodies CEO pay. Saves €1.2
by a further 2%, in addition to reductions
million.
previously implemented by the Minister for
Reduce by 10% the Education and Training
Health. Saves €21 million.
Board CEO salaries. Saves €190,000
Reduce by 25% all state agency, non-
commercial State-sponsored bodies, and
commercial semi-State board fees. Saves €1.5
Social Protection
million.
Reduce by 15% City and County Manager pay. Wind-down JobBridge Scheme
Saves €627,000
While some individuals have had a positive
Increase the public sector pension reduction
experience, overall the JobBridge scheme
for high earners. Saves €14.5 million
displaces existing paid work, defers real job
creation, depresses wages and exacerbates
underemployment. Sinn Féin believes that
Reduce Unnecessary or Excessive the JobBridge scheme is beyond repair. We
General Government Expenditure would close the JobBridge scheme to new
by 10% applicants, meaning that it would become
obsolete during the course of 2015. Saves
Reduce spending on outsourced expertise
€10.3 million in 2015 (€16.6 million in each
and end over-reliance on private consultants.
full year thereafter).
Saves €22 million.
Economise civil service education and training
by securing a 10% discount on third level
Cancel Gateway Scheme
education and other training expenditure.
Saves €1 million. Participation on Gateway is not voluntary and
Departmental spending on travel and it does not involve meaningful accredited
subsistence has in some instances been training. Sinn Féin opposed the introduction
substantially reduced since 2008, however it is of the Gateway scheme during 2014. We
clear that further reductions could be realised. would cancel the Gateway scheme from
Saves €4.2 million. Budget 2015. Saves €3.1 million.
Greater use of JobsPlus
Education and Health
This scheme involves real jobs with real pay,
The current annual state subsidy to be paid to terms and conditions. Employers receive a
private schools is €103 per annum. Sinn Féin subsidy from the state when they recruit an
would withdraw the private school subsidy employee off the live register who is long and
over 5 years. Saves €20.6 million. longer-term unemployed.
24 We would reassign the Department staff,
efforts and other resources currently focused
on JobBridge to the promotion of JobsPlus
with the aim of placing an additional 5,000 in
employment via the scheme.
The average full year saving from placing a
jobseeker in employment via the JobsPlus
scheme is estimated at €6,643. Saves €15.2
million in 2015 (€33.2 million the following
year).
Sinn Féin Alternative Budget - October 2014 25MEASURES THE GOVERNMENT WERE UNABLE TO COST
During the course of the preparation of our pre-
budget submission Sinn Féin submitted over 200 Some measures Department
proposals to Department of Public Expenditiure of Public Expenditure and
and Reform and the Department of Finance to be Reform couldn’t cost
costed. We do this to ensure that the party’s pre-
budget submission is fully costed. Reclaim social welfare payments from
Government departments were unable to cost employers in wrongful dismissal cases
dozens of the measures which we submitted Potential full year saving where an employer is
to them as they currently do not compile the found by the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT)
relevant data. This is particularly the case with to have wrongfully dismissed a former employee,
the Department of Health. We believe that at a and the Department of Social Protection recoups
conservative estimate, the measures listed below from the employer social welfare payments
would bring in in the region of hundreds of millions received by the employee from the time of his
of Euro. However as they have not been costed we or her dismissal to the date on which the order is
have not included them in our pre-budget this year. made by the EAT. The Department does not have
It is clear there is an urgent need for a data in relation to the number of employees who
Costings Unit within the Department of have been found by the Employment Appeals
Public Expenditure and Reform whose Tribunal to have been wrongfully dismissed and
responsibilities would include, but are not who were subsequently in receipt of a social
limited to, costing opposition parties’ pre- welfare payment.
budget submissions and election manifestos.
We further believe that there is a need to
Use Diagnostic Related Groupings
address the fact that budget adjustments
(case-mix based payment) in Strategic
have been made in an unequal way. We have
Purchasing
called for the implementation of legislation
to provide for Equality Proofing of all future Diagnostic Related Groupings DRG-based hospital
budgets. payment has been widely adopted internationally
with the explicit objective of improving efficiency
and reducing costs as has been the experience
in Sweden and Norway. The World Health
Organisation reports that the potential for the
DRG system has not been realised in Ireland, and
recommends implementation advising savings of
up to 5% on all hospital spend could be realised.
Despite the HSE launching phase one of a DRG-
based funding system in January the Department
was unable to provide this costing to us.
26Full year saving if the WHO Safe Surgery The full year savings that would be
Checklist was implemented in full realised from sourcing the 20 most
expensive and the 20 most common on-
The WHO Safe Surgery Saves Lives Checklist was
patent pharmaceuticals from another
created with the goal of improving the safety of
Member State (Parallel Import), that
patients undergoing surgical procedures across
state being where the cost of the drug is
the world. Whilst the Department has stated
the lowest in Europe
it is aware of the potential benefits to patients
from the implementation of the Checklist, and of The Department has stated that the data required
research evidence in other countries that indicates to model this proposal is not available and it is
potential financial savings from this practice it has therefore not possible to produce an estimate of
not researched into nor costed these benefits. The the savings which could be realised.
Department of Health was unable to provide the
cost of surgical procedures that take place in Irish
The potential per annum savings to the
hospitals. And has said it is not possible to isolate
exchequer to be made by interventions
the cost of the surgery alone from other costs
recommended by the National Vision
associated with a patient’s stay in hospital such as
Coalition in their Report on the
x-rays, drugs costs etc.
Economic Cost and Burden of Eye
Disease and Preventable Blindness in
The full year savings that would be Ireland
made by introducing, with immediate The Department have noted that additional
effect, a measure setting the ex-factory funding would be required to implement the
price for new pharmaceuticals (subject objectives of the National Vision Report at primary
to patent protection) with reference to care level and these objectives have not been
the lowest priced comparator Member costed.
State.
The Department was unable to provide this cost as
The full year cost of extension of free
significant modelling effort and also reference data
primary care to all people who require
would be required to estimate any savings from the
long-term mental health treatment
measure proposed.
The Department has confirmed it does not know
how many individuals with a mental illness have a
The full year savings that would medical card nor do they have a national figure for
be realised from the immediate those with a mental illness.
introduction of generic substitution for
the 60 most commonly used off-patent
medications, excluding AEDs, based on
reference pricing at 70% below branded
equivalent, by cost and by volume
The Department has stated that it is not possible
to provide the information sought as significant
modelling effort and also reference data would be
required to estimate any savings from the measure
proposed.
Sinn Féin Alternative Budget - October 2014 27Some measures Department
of Finance couldn’t cost
The revenue that would be raised by
increasing by 1/2/3/4/5/10/15/20%
respectively the taxes on exploration/drilling
for oil and gas
The revenue that would be raised by
introducing a Sugar Tax on sugary drinks as
proposed by the Irish Heart Foundation
The revenue that would be raised by
abolishing CGT exemptions when a home is
sold for over €1m
The cost of applying a 40% Capital Gains Tax
rate only to passive CGT activity
The revenue that would be raised by
introducing a Wealth Tax of 1% on net assets
over €1m with exclusions.
The effect of introducing a ban on below cost
selling of alcohol.
28RENEW SOCIETY
Sinn Féin has prioritised a number of areas for Increase Family Income
additional support in Budget 2015, including Social Supplement by 10% - costs €33
Protection, Health and Education and within all million
three of these departments we have prioritised
FIS is a payment made to supplement the
increased funding for disability services. Our focus
incomes of parents in low paid employment.
is on raising the standard of living for the most
47,553 families would benefit from the
vulnerable, starting to address the crisis in frontline
measure which would see an average
health services and making back to school more
payment increase of €18.50 per week.
affordable for families.
Raising Living Standards for Increase the Respite Care Grant
by €325 – costs €29.6 million
the most vulnerable
The respite care grant is paid to almost 73,000
Social Protection spending has a key role to
carers.
play in tackling poverty, raising living standards,
supporting people into work and stimulating
Restore equality for young
demand in local economies.
jobseekers – costs €89 million
Sinn Féin’s priority is to reverse the rise in
Over two budgets reverse the cuts to
hardship and deprivation that has resulted from
Jobseekers Allowance and Supplementary
the draconian cuts made in successive austerity
Welfare Allowance for the under 26s. Increase
budgets to social protection spending. These cuts
by €40 in Budget 2015.
have hit groups such as those with disabilities,
their carers and the elderly hard. It has forced the
Add a telephone allowance of
emigration of thousands of our young people
€9.50 per month to the Living
and heightened the poverty experienced by lone
Alone Increase – costs €20.6
parents and their children.
million
We reject the government’s yellow pack approach
This measure would allow vulnerable people
to activation, which hampers job creation,
living on their own to access panic alarms.
compounds underemployment and drives down
wages. We want to provide jobseekers with
Raise the One Parent Family
meaningful activation opportunities leading to
Payment income disregard to €120
secure, properly paid jobs.
– costs €15.3 million
Our spending proposals reflect these priorities
Raising the OPFP income disregard by €30
supports lone parents who take up work.
Sinn Féin Alternative Budget - October 2014 29Introduce 4,000 additional Restore Farm Assist – costs €3.4
Community Employment Scheme million
places – costs €13.6 million This measure reduces the assessment of
CE schemes based on structured, accredited means from self-employment, including
training should be extended and schemes farming, to 85% and reinstates the deductions
that are exploitative or displace jobs such as from income in respect of children that were
JobBridge and Gateway should be ended. discontinued in April 2013.
Increase investment in the
Employability Service – costs €1.5
million Addressing the crisis in the
This investment would increase the capacity health service
of the Employability Service to support more
The Irish people have been ill served by a health
people with disabilities to become work ready,
service that has stumbled from one crisis to
to find and to maintain a job in the labor force.
another over many years. Our health services have
been dealt blow after blow over a series of austerity
Re-instate the Solas Training
budgets. It remains weighed down by middle
Allowance – costs €6.7 million
management. Areas which need urgent address
The €20 training allowance, eliminated in include drug costs and prescribing and the public
Budget 2014, is a vital support towards the subsidy of private care in public hospitals.
costs of engaging in training. Without it
The health budget has been cut to unsustainable
participation can be unaffordable for many of
levels in the last seven budgets. A lack of funding
the nearly 4,000 trainees affected.
has required a supplementary estimate each
year. In 2014 this funding will be met mainly by
Re-open the Diet Supplement
underspends in the net voted expenditure in
Scheme – costs €500,000
a number of other government departments,
The Diet Supplement Scheme offers social including Social Protection. Our figures are based
welfare recipients suffering coeliac disease, on the end of year departmental outturns and what
motor neuron disease, throat cancer and is listed below is additional funding.
stroke a small top-up to assist with the high
Under the current Fine Gael and Labour
costs of their medical diets prescribed by
government much of the burden has been pushed
Hospital Consultants.
onto frontline staff. The public has also been put
under immense pressure, with a continual chipping
Increase Fuel Allowance by 3
away of basic rights and services that leave many
weeks – costs €23.9 million
citizens wary of a trip to their GP or the Emergency
These additional fuel allowance payments Department, on grounds of cost. This should never
worth a total of €60 would benefit some be the case.
412,700 households after a sustained period of
energy price rises and fuel poverty increases.
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