Statement by the EC, ECB, and IMF on the Review Mission to Ireland October, 2012

2012 Report on Pension Charges in Ireland from the Department of Social Protection.

By now most people will have heard about the switch to Saorview, whereby the analogue signal currently used to broadcast TV will be switched off at 10am on October 24th and replaced with a digital signal. What is less well known are the potential revenue benefits the switchover could have for the government. By freeing up scarce spectrum resources, the switch to Saorview paves the way for an auction of new mobile network licences that could raise €205 million immediately, and double that over the next fifteen years. Read this note to find out more.

Putting People First - Local Government Reform Proposals

This report presents an analysis of fiscal incentives for retirement savings – models and redistributive effects – in Ireland and comparison with other countries who have well established second pillar pension systems. Published in October 2012.

Pension Schemes regulated by the Pension Board

Part 1 contains budgetary statistics. The 2011 and 2012 voted expenditure figures are taken from the 2012 Estimates for Public Services, published in February 2012. Part 2 contains economic statistics mainly on the Irish economy with some comparisons with other international economies.

Suggestions to merge Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and University College Dublin (UCD) have been rejected. But they should emulate the US precedent and provide the facility for students, both undergraduate and graduate, to take courses for credit in each other’s programmes. This should be done across the board, with a minimum of bureaucracy and no fees transfer; the only requirements would be that students meet the necessary pre-requisites to take the course(s) in question, and that there is classroom or other relevant capacity in the receiving institution. It would help make the programmes of both universities more internationally competitive, and will encourage specialisation and scale in research; the whole will be more than the sum of the parts. The TCD-UCD Innovation Alliance and a few Higher Education Authority (HEA) bottom-up collaborative initiatives show promise, but to achieve serious economies of scale and scope, access should be universal. What is good enough for Harvard and MIT should be good enough for UCD and TCD.

2009 Commission on Taxation Report.

The summary of a report into the form and function of the Inter Cert exam, now the Junior Cert. Released in 1975, but relevant for the current policy debate.

An analysis of the expenditure and outputs in the Irish health system and a comparison with other OECD countries. Ireland has the third highest expenditure in the OECD, and the report looks at whether the high level of spending corresponds to similarly high levels of output.

The IMF Staff report on Ireland - September 10, 2012

Ireland is a pioneer in the implementation of a carbon tax. This has allowed us to avoid (more) increases in income tax which would have further reduced disposable income, increased labour costs and destroyed jobs. It is also facilitating us in meeting our very demanding legally binding obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provides support for the creation of new jobs in improving energy efficiency and growing the low carbon economy. We will continue to benefit economically and environmentally if we keep it in place, and increase the rate per tonne of CO2 from €20 to €25, as envisaged in the programme for government.

2010 Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund - KPMG June 2010

Presentation by Maureen Lynott, Chair of the Top Level Appointments Committee to Publicpolicy.ie on 11 September, 2012

Key Point Based on the standard OECD measure Ireland has the most progressive income tax system (including social insurance contributions) in the EU.

This Report assesses the macroeconomic and budgetary projections set out by the Government in the Stability Programme Update 2012, and in advance of Budget 2013 and the appropriateness of the fiscal stance over the period to 2015. The report also considers the longer-term implications of compliance with the fiscal rules in the Fiscal Responsibility Bill.

This Fiscal Assessment Report assesses the macroeconomic and budgetary projections set out by Government in Budget 2012, including the appropriateness of the overall fiscal stance over the period to 2015.

"Progress Report on Implementation of Government's Public Service Reform Plan". September 2012

This is the Sixth Quarterly Review of the Memorandum of Understanding covering the period to December 2011. Date: 20 August, 2012

This paper consider Ireland's budgetary situation arising out of the banking crisis and the possible means of reducing Ireland's debt burden. Issues dealt with include the composition of Ireland's bank debt, the significance of the June 2012 Euro Area Summit statement for Ireland and the possibility of a deal on the promissory notes

We weigh losses far more heavily than equivalent gains, and we infer the general from the particular, rather than induce the particular from the general. These and many other features of our behaviour are elegantly documented in Thinking, Fast and Slow, authored by Nobel Prize winning Daniel Kahneman. In addition to loss aversion, he identifies the halo effect, anchoring, luck, the planning fallacy, optimism bias, the endowment effect and many other features characterising how we behave. They have considerable value as explanations as to how we got into such economic disarray, and provide some pointers as to how to frame the process of making progress. In this commentary, I summarise a few of the key insights, and their relevance to our situation in Ireland.

This is a review of the Troika Programme of the 20 August 2012

This report measures the burden of red tape CSO reporting requirements place on businesses. It is estimated that the burden fell by 28% between 2012 and 2011.

Report on the Measurement of the Regulatory Burden Imposed on Business by Revenue

The attached speech on Public Sector Reform was delivered by Robert Watt Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform at the MacGill Summer School on 25 July, 2012

The attached speech on Public Sector Reform was delivered by Paul Haran former Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment at the MacGill Summer School on 25 July, 2012

The attached speech on Public Sector Reform was delivered by Robert Watt Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform at the MacGill Summer School on 25 July, 2012

Report on the Use of Tax Reliefs by High Income Taxpayers 2012

Key Point We should move right away from lump sum to periodic payments in the case of medical negligence cases in Ireland. And this should happen before Budget 2013 is presented to the Oireachtas (Parliament) in December 2012. An excellent report explaining why this should happen, and how it should be done, was presented to the then Minister for Justice almost 2 years ago. Inaction will have many costs, not least that the Minister for Finance will have to find up to about €50 million right away that he (and we) can all ill afford

Payment of Household Charges

Special report on the income and living conditions of the elderly in 2004, 2009 & 2010.

The Benefits and Costs of the London Olympics

Ireland returned to the bond markets after an absence of two years. Here, we analyse the results.

Social capital is that set of reflexes we absorb from our culture, religion, families and our ancestors. It shapes how we react to crisis and opportunity

The 2012 mobile licence auction will yield revenue for the state. This note explains what is happening and attempts to ascertain how much it is worth.

This document describes the preliminary findings of IMF staff at the conclusion of their mission to Ireland under Article IV of the IMF's Articles of Agreement.

By the Central Statistics Office

For any country, easy and efficient access to others is an important contributor to its economy and quality of life. It is particularly so when the country is an island with no land or rail links to major trading partners or potential tourists. In Ireland, this was recognised by earlier governments, who established and supported the establishment of State airline and shipping companies to ensure that such access was available. But these became State protected monopolies, with high costs and at times indifferent services. Some of us recall being frequent users of the Dublin to Brussels service offered by Aer Lingus in the 1970s and 80s, where flight availability was limited, and costs for a restricted economy ticket often fell in the range of €600-800 or even more.

This policy brief, prepared by the Department of Finance, contains information on past and projected future developments in the Irish economy.

Department of Finance presentation of the Exchequer Position for the first half of 2012

This paper provides some evidence on the pros & cons of various schemes of charging for water

Investor Presentation from the NTMA

The European Commission comment on the Irish bailout

Henri Smets sets the international context for water pricing: “In all countries, it is now accepted that water users should pay to a very large extent for the water they use, and the amount of payment be proportionate to water consumption. The Irish model of free water for domestic users was hardly known to the rest of Europe, and did not inspire the policy of any country in Western Europe.”

2011 Annual Report of the Pensions Board

Paper delivered by Dr Henri Smets at the Seminar on the 19th June.

The latest Troika review contains proposals for a Growth Fund, but spending it wisely will mean making difficult choices.

The 6th IMF staff report of the Irish bailout.

This is the review of the Troika Programme dated 30 May 2012.