Texts and emails, 10 December 2009

Topic: Budget 2010

Panelists: Conor Lenihan, Junior Minister, Joan Burton, Labour Finance Spokesperson, Brendan Keenan, economist, George Lee, Fine Gael TD

I am an irish director with european responsibility for a major multinational based in ireand. I have an offer on tax grounds to move to switzerland in the coming months which would see my take home salary more than double as tax rates there are significantly lower than in ireland. I understand the desire to tax the higer earners to the hilt but I need to have some reward for 70 hours per week, 80 nights a year away from my family on business travel, high stress levels etc. For the hours I work I am not that highly paid. Should I leave ireland and take my large tax contributions with me? Its getting to be a more attractive option! 

Regards, Nigel

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Brian Lenihan has reduced social welfare by 4% because he said the cost of living had dropped 6% and in the same breath increased the cost of living by 5% i.e. 4.1% on petrol 4.9% on diesel and an added 6% on gas. Student grants to go for receiving back to education allowance therefore with a 4% social welfare cut students have to find €1,500 registration fee next year. Smart economy or smart ass fianna fail economy?

How can the budget b fair when the only people who were hit were children and the unemployed?it was gutless,immoral and typical of a government with little brains and very well paid for doing very little.any decisions to be made requires quangos.but as usual all they care about is looking good in the eyes of the rest of the world.next on d list of coarse is abortion here also same-sex marriage and because of lisbon we have to take it all. mary. offaly

please bring up the fixed interest rates on mortgages , i pay 5 per cent and the variable is 1.5 CAN NOTHING BE DONE TO CHANGE THIS , IT WUD MAKE AN AWFUL DIFFERENCE TO PEOPLE

why did they have to cut people on disability when polititions are receiving a huge wage each week. People on disability are not available for work so why should we be cut. Its a terrible budget very sad.

although we all agree with the idea of the carbon tax, why was it not held over for a couple of years to when we can afford it? ie: when f f think they will take us out of resession. .thanks .martin

this budget attacked the most vulnerable in society and public sector with lost opportunity 4 reform in public service when there should b another tax rate 4 higher paid and bankers and developers roam free the politicians were deceitful when presenting that ministers and others were taking cuts when the cuts are the same as those under 30000 where is the fairness? Mary durkin

why are we continuing to allow non national people into ireland when unemployment is so high this is causing the severe strain on the social welfare system patrick co laois

not a word about taxing the bloodstock industry not even v a t on stud fees no tax betting cronyism is alive and well thomas carroll meath

why did the government not place a levy on bank employees given that the public service are now bailing them out. Margaret

In 11 years ahern did not help michaels estate. Jack healy rae gets 52 bed hospital. ? There will be a giveaway in 2011 to spin him into the park. Martin donnell

im 24 and on the dole.how come i effectively had to pay 4% tax to the government while the super rich didnt even pay anything.even if the super rich paid 1% tax it wud be something.i just wonder when we get a new government,will the super rich then be targeted.i doubt it

Budget cuts: It's important to realise that with the abolition of the Xmas bonus, ppl on invalidity pension have actually taken a cut of €12-50pw in their income. That puts many of us way below the poverty line. How are we supposed to survive? . . Peter Doyle, Kildare.

My husband is on invalidity pension and im his dependant, the 4.1%cut is to each of us = 8.2%. Then fuel(our ONLY)heating and prescription charges (i myself on 12meds) adds more charges!

i lose 8.50 on disability benifit 2.00 on medical perscription + carbon tax+ xmas bonus i will not be buying xmas presents sending no cards and tightning up on other spending i dont see that being any help on stimulating the econemy or helping why should the poor pay and the rich get off basically scot free.

Get rid of that self-publicist Tighe and bring back the politician. At least he gave us a laugh!

With our small population we should have zero unemployment. We need jobs not debates of who is right or wrong. All parties pull together for the Countrys sake.

I am a public servant and i am so angry. The mother of al budgets since foundation of state?? If i was n private sector 2day with no kids, there would b no pain. No equity or fairness. Public sector were willing 2 share burden. But looks like we can carry burden on our own. FF have protected their own cronies again, plenty of money stil n country it hasnt evaporated! Conor Lenihans performance and lack of amswers illustratesFF attitude 2 ordinary citizens of this country. Protect well off and those who generaly contributed 2 our downfall. Overall how unimaginative was this budget?? It all reminds me of Charlie in his chavret shirt, telling us 2 tighten our belts. Looks like FF will contine 2 tighten belts of the less well off while sporting their chavret shirts.

HOW CAN PEOPLE ON DE DOLE PAY 4 HUNDRED EURO ON HEATING DER HOUSES EVERY 2 MONTHS

You better let Conor kno da social welfare recipients are cheerin from da roofs with this budget. How can one possibly explain to a sheltered child how things are in real world. He probably still believes in santa.

I would lover connor to be on social welfare. With 200euro a week. I am on of many on social welfare. They took our xmas money. They all make us sick ff and greens. And now we have to pay for all ur tabs 0.50c people who are on medical cards. Most of all longterm people who need tabs. Vincent ask connor why this needs to be done. Eileen delany.

we are in the midst of a free market experiment which leads to social unrest and destruction of the middle class. Ambrose Pritchard Evans in Daily Telegraph in April this year said Ireland was on a descent into hell due to debt deflation. How can country return to growth when people majority are immersed in debt and less means to pay it. There will only be two classes at the end of all of this, the elite and the rest. The destruction of ordinary human and family lives to save the elite from destruction is appalling and Evans article denounced Irish Govt policy to fix economy. God help us cos this is only the start of it.

the minister must b shopping up north

I'm guessin that george's fur coat analogy will end up on gift grub and as for connor- he said it all when he stated that the government's policy was to drive down wages. Dave.

(corrections on previous text )is anyone reading these if so pass it on . I met somone today who runs a small new successful business and she told us that a loop hole exists where she can lay off her staff at the end of dec. Re hire them in january and be exempt from p.r.s.i. For this year ! She s doing it ! There are so many other fiddles, im pretty dim in the great scheme of things and im seeing them everywhere !

What economy is the car scrappage sheme boosting? German. Japan. Maybe? Joan Sligo.

no way am payin property tax am payin tax all my life my sons let go after workin 16yrs Jacinta 0868848199

why all the gloom? Send ur youth to Lilliput. Our finance Minister"demands sustainable growth, tax incentives 2 builders,foreign workers an benchmarkn"

its never going to change the rich get richer the poor get poorer lucy

What economy is the scrappage sheme boosting? German. Japan. Maybe? Joan Sligo.

to george i wonder what percentage of the republic's finance is currently going across the border to northern ireland?

did Conor did you ever hear the term Indian giver! Brendan, Limerick

A stimulus package like the Chinese, forcing their regional banks to lend, has kickstarted the domestic economy. George Lee v Captain Kebab! Ruairi. OY

Tell Conor we know they can spend money. The clever people spend it well and he is not in that bracket
What are paying PrIS 4

Put the crooked bankers and politcans,on the ship that is anglo irish,and sink her.we need a new honest crew to float ireland.jim.kerry.

Love 2 see joan manage the irish team, she talks a great game

We paid 32000 in stamp duty for our home, i know people paid more but where did that go? I am furious that money was wasted and my generation is now targeted.

would Conor swap wage with me for a month Im in a cold damp flat ,on disability , my rent not reduced I cant afford to put on the heat .yet you think its ok to cut me what platet are you liveing on

All the parties have proved not one of them can run a country. So mowp the time to all get together and put things right and think of the people not themselves.

A lot of the company.s doing the home energy job.s a from the north.kiljoy

They did.nt deal with it because they have a blatant disregard for the worker and the unemployed they are the easy targets but there will b an election and people wont forget

thank you geoge lee for sticking for people with disabilty

Brian Lenihan lost all credibility by not being truthfull about the real cut in ministers pay which was only 5%

If the government needs tax revenue so badly why cant i and a lot of other people pay my capital gains tax? Answer: the revenue have run out of the capital gains tax return forms! This is not a joke
you will never get answers from supporters of the scam and as for george if he was so clever he would have still been im his old job vincent you are an intelligent man obviously you should stand for power god bless

I cannot believe that connor lenihan truly believes that people on Social Welfare are as well off this year, even after the budget adjustment. How in the name of God can he consider the rates of payment issued by welfare as generous. 204 euro maximum payment for an individual adult, 135 euro for a dependant adult if they are in a partnership, and they too are out of work, and 26 euro for each dependent child. The different payments available, or the name used to describe it, i.e. ' job seekers allowance/benefit Disability allowance, Old age pension etc does not matter, the rate is standard across each individual payment. Frightening times lie ahead for those within society who are already vulnerable and marginalised.
Shame on this government. They just want to maintain the current 'status quo' to protect their own interests. There is no real sense of community or real society. Ann
the europeans will get them jobs because they work 4 cheap labour so again the irish will loose out good lad brian Claire in Kildare

send that shameless, useless excuse called lenihan.

had B Lenihan mental reservations when he said we had turned the corner Anne Barden

the reason why they cut social welfare is because a new tax would not end up taking the set amount out of the economy due to tax evasion and avoidance. the government made the tough but right decision. Matthew .

tell conner his seat is gone in tallaght he can get a job in nama john

ask conor lenihan,who comes from a long line of politicans to come and spend a few weeks in my house,i am ashamed for people to find out how i really live,having to choose if i eat or pay bills,.so often,i have almost no food in the house,my shoes leak,my coat is old,im lucky..my kids are adults,god help those who have young children...i feel so angry!i will never forgive these protectors of the rich...

ask conor would he like to live on two hundred euros per wk and what is the position with dental benefit to prsi payers

would members of the goverment show and publish how they would manage all their bills on a social welfare payment if they can prove it can be done please tell the public then they can say they have done the right thing

why didnt they abolish their own expenses. How much did they all claim for attending the dail yesterday they are a bit like the church they have the cheek to tell the people to live on e196 a week while they continue to squander and protect the fat cats julie Cork

why are the rich always protected, money goes to money the country is fuck ed up, the rich get richer and the poor give up hope

Can some one ask them why they don't clean up the wide spread fraud of people illegaly claiming social welfare as out lined in Prime Time program during the week, Caroline White

roll on a election that shower wont get in. They should hang there heads in shame like da bishops.

People on 30,000 are taking an extra 5per cent and ministers on 220,000 are taking 15 per cent. Thats not equity. They should be taking 35 per cent. Thats equity. Their earning 7 times the 30,000 so should be 7 times the cut.

THE PRISONS ARE GOING TO BE OVERFLOWING AFTER THIS BUDGET

I was widowed at 6I AND I Am 72. I ALSO CARE FULL TIME FOR MY DISABLED DAUGHTER. WE ARE BOTH BEING CUT IN OUR PENSIONS. WE ALSO HAVE TO PAY ON OUR PRESCRIPTIONS

good on u vincent 4 asking the question we all want the ans 2 unfortunately mr lenihan only laughed at u just like his brother is laughing at us all,well we will c who has the last laugh.

I am working n local social welfare office. Severely Under staffed and Stressed out. On 45,000. Husband unemployed. On 204.30. 3 children 4 and under. Another baby on way. How much have i lost and how am i going to pay the bills. Was struggling already relying on child benefit.

conor lenihan - im sick of hearing how our rates of welfare is so generous - i wld like 2 c him living on it - we have allowed these incompetent parasites 2 govern us for 2 long mk

billy austin.ff keep saying they had 2 take tough decisions.but infact they took easy decisions by hiting the poor.the hard decision for them was hiting their friends at the top .

my neighbour has a stud farm and charges 20000 to cover a mare i am told that he doesnt need to pay a penny tax on these charges. Finna fail are looking after there close circle of friends, mike galway

Hi please talk about denists payments from medical cards and prsi and fraud claims which their are loads instead of social warfare fraud`

Fair? Cut all tds wages by 50%. For next five years. And they pay no tax watsoever. Because the have 3 jobs like sen shane ross and bertie. They write for newspapers and sell books wat does he need 4 pensions.

conor wont answer the question because they think its easy to take from the poor and not from the rich nickey wexford

property developers can claim tax refunds. Can you ask conor if social welfare receipients can claim back the budget cut

What about the banks and in particular Anglo Ir Bank? Why feed a dead man? Waste of food waste of energy waste of MONEY.

God conor lenehan had a good teacher on.. How not to answer a direct question from vincent... Anne

THAT CONOR LENIHAN FELLA IS A ***.KEEP ASKING HIM THE SAME QUESTION UNTIL HE ANSWERS.IM RECENTLY UN EMPLOYED.SEAN IN MULLINGAR

STOP NAGGING ! STOP BADGERING ! Its not good TV. NED.

up to now i held my tongue regarding brian cowen,i kept expecting him to come good.i have met him many times and always thought of him as a decent,fair-minded man.i cannot say how disappointed i am with him and his cronies.they are d 1s who destroyed and continue to  destroy d country.they are a disgrace.im sick of their excuses.1of my sons is long gone to  australia.he is a mechanic.another son,a roofer(unempl oyed)his partner working,they have 1child and a now house.they are going to  lose out in this budget.whats to  happen to  them if they cant before their mortgage?its time 4a general election.this lot are dead in d water,none of them are worth half their salary.j healy reas endorsement of d budget cos he got his hospital is laughable.margaret.tullamore

this country needs ageneral strike and a general electiön and get a new govorment

im a widow i cant affored 8 50 the penison is the only thing i have i may starve bridget

Im n stitches laughing . Conor is a waffler. Bernie. D15

It's daft to ask someone who believes in "cuts across the board" why he doesn't reduce inequality. He believes that existing inequality must be maintained. C.
he wont answer u cause its all their cronies and pals they are lookin after its about keepin d rest of us down

dose the president get child alowence i bet dose conner get it i bet he dose

would Conor and his wife live on € 3 8 3 per week and say all his bills his shoes probably cost that much catherine daly cork

ask the minister to give up big salary and live on the social welfare for a year and see how him and his family survive robert

George is so right about wastiige... I recently received 3 separate letters to inform me of my Hospital appointment. It probably took 3 people to send them ! !

ask him would he live on 220 a week by the look of him i dought it ! Mag

I think Conor Lenihan expects the poor to have kebabs and cheap beer while we wait for tax-break sugar daddys to build us Tiger homes. Ruairi. Tullamore

ood man put 'at the day'lenihan under pressure.

why did fianna fail put someone so out of his depth on your programme? Embarrassing!

will sombody ask why semi states e.s.b. Bord gais were untouched and even got their 3% unlike d.a.a. Who havn t paid last years 3% one law for one semi state another 4 another ! They can t risk a strike from the e.s.b.!

please let brian explain you dont have a modicum of manliness trying to make an impression you cant even speak properly .Mary

WHY NOT REDUCE THE PENSIONS OF PUBLIC SECTOR RETIREES WHO GOT 150.000 EUROS TAX FREE LUMP SUM PLUS 50.000 EUROS P.A. PENSION WHICH IS FIVE TIM ES THE STATE PENSION, YET ALL THE TALK IS ABOUT THE STATE PENSIONERS. MARY.

what do george think of his x buddies in rte eg kenny tuberdy ryan are there wages not crimnal michael kilkenny

HOW DARE JOAN SPEAK ABOUT POOR PEOPLE WHEN SHE TAKES ALL DE MONEY SHF DOES 4 HER SALARY SHE SPENDS MORE MONEY ON HER HAIR DOS PER WEEK THAN I DO FEEDING A FAMILY OF 5

The Minister ofFinance makes big deal of Taoiseach & Ministers taking 15-20% cut, they're still getting at least 50-60% more than their counterparts in UK& Mainland Europe.This also applies to all TD's Bill D'Arcy Limerick

this era wil never b forgotten it wil go down in history as the great bank + government corruption + how the good people of ireland wer robbed by the fat cats

at the end of the day you will never get an answer from conor

costs are the key, if FF were honest, the revolting Unions honest etc we could live with it. Nice 2 see George without his burka, ie Bruton/Kenny.

Why did.nt they phase out d cut.s in welfare.kiljoy

why are rte presenters so overpaid. Their salaries are paid by the taxpayer, jim

Why not ask him how much da 20 percent tax rate on residential land cost da country. This was brought in at da stroke of a pen.

HOW CAN HE SIT THERE AND JUSTIFY THE BIG SALARIES TDS MINISTERS AND EVERYONE IN THE DAIL ITS A DISGRACE AND TAKE FROM THE LEAST WELL OFF PEOPLE SHOULD NOT TAKE THIS BRID IN ROSCOMMON

its about time the FF backbench got some back bone and stand up against this budget after all they all know its wrong. Frances dub

The 1st 150k of a company director's earnings avoids tax at 41% even though supposedly they are meant to pay it in an equitable society.

Why don't ministers do away with ministerial cars? Miriam, Dublin

The cream of the milk is stil at the top of the bottle. Rich and poor. When wil they ever shake it up. Everyone should pay. Are we always going to be a lsland of gentry and peasents. That just makes me sad. Is it ever going to change?

i would love to see brian or connor or their aunt mary live for a week on social welfare and let the cameras follow them would make great viewing. None of the politicians live in the real world. Ann public servant Offaly

how can any human being justify cutting disability benefits while taking NOTHING from the rich. how smug is Conor Lenihan. Caroline Wexford

pension tax breaks not affected because the people involved gave too many brown envelopes in the part! Brendan, Limerick

i'm a widow under 60yr of age + id like 2 no what on earth did my husband work for 35yrs for cn that my pension was cut living is hard enough

A woman prime minister is needed, a woman runs a household finances, there is not much difference in a country finance it's only on a larger scale. We know how to budget far better than men.

I am a widow i lost my husband 2 cancer 6 mths ago. He couldn get treatment on time due 2 shortage of hospital beds. Our goverment let us down then and they let us down again.. I dont get living alone allowance because im under 66 they have taken 8 ...50 per wK of me. I am on long term medication so i will have to pay 10 euro 4 my precriptions. Some people not all on d dole were getting 5 euro less than i and were also getting rent allowance .. Get rid of state cars get rid of half d seanad .

this budget is designed to drive teenagers ,people in their 20s and 30s out of the country,a lost generation or two on the way. Rob in cork.

How can tax breaks to super rich private members golf clubs be justified. Bernard.

I am a low paid public servant. After this budget I have resolved to do my shopping outside this state. I no longer feel I owe any patriotic duty to this banana republic. Mairead from Cork.

what about the guy you refered to before who walked away with seventy million scott free?