Chairman’s Blog | Public Policy, Public Expenditure & GNP | Independent Thinking on Public Policy Issues

in: News and Archive | 24 May 2022

Is Ireland’s Tax System Progressive ?

In his opinion column on 29 September Fintan O’Toole asserts that the claim that Ireland’s tax system is the most progressive is “not true at all. It is, literally not even a half-truth”. Fintan’s view that “The whole claim to having the most progressive tax system depends on ignoring the highly regressive nature of indirect…
in: News and Archive | 26 Mar 2018

Reflections on 6 Years of Public Policy

The time has come for us to close our doors as our funding from Atlantic Philanthropies has been exhausted.
We end with some final thoughts.
in: News and Archive | 23 Mar 2018

Underemployed Part-time Workers

Employment increased by almost 70,000 (3.1%) in the year to Q4 2017. Over 115,000 part-time workers would like to work more than they currently do.

25 Oct 2017

Local Authority rent arrears amount to €73 million; of which €37 million are in Dublin.

Local Property Tax Variations – 2018
12 Oct 2017

The net effect of Council adjustments will decrease LPT revenue by €23 million in 2018.
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Budget 2018 Excise Tax
10 Oct 2017

In Budget 2018, 50c was added to the price of a 20 pack of cigarettes, and there was no change in excise duties on alcohol, petrol or diesel.
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Ireland’s Public Debt Burden
27 Sep 2017

While Ireland’s public debt burden is still relatively high, it is declining and the cost of servicing it will decline further as a share of national income.
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International Comparisons Of Taxation And Public Spending And Modified GNI (GNI*)
11 Sep 2017

We will use Irish Modified GNI rather than GDP as the denominator in making international comparisons of Irish public expenditure throughout this website.
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Health Insurance – Demand Increases
1 Sep 2017

An extra 145,000 people have taken out health insurance in the last two years.
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Integration Of PRSI And USC
11 Oct 2017

The Minister for Finance plans to amalgamate USC and PRSI over the medium term. Here we examine some of the issues which arise.
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Where Have The Extra Jobs Been Created?
4 Oct 2017

Over 250,000 jobs have been created since the lowest point in the downturn – one-third have been created in Dublin.
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Commercial Rates
12 Sep 2017

Over €1.3 billion in commercial rates was collected by Councils last year. There was over €297m in outstanding rate arrears at the end of 2016.
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Homelessness
6 Sep 2017

Almost 7,000 people were homeless on Census night in 2016.
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Social Protection – Expenditure Trends
28 Aug 2017

Social Protection spending will increase by €52m (0.3pc) in 2017 relative to 2016.
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