THE people of Inishowen
are tonight trying to digest the implications of
Budget 2013 on their personal finances. While some
of its contents had been well flagged in recent
days, Finance Minister Michael Noonan and his
colleague, Public Expenditure and Reform Minister
Brendan Howlin still managed to land some unwelcome
surprises including taking the full medical card off
some 20,000 pensioners and cutting the Respite Care
Grant by €325. Vintners meanwhile are reeling after
€1 was slapped on the price of a bottle of wine
while the country's last remaining savers will be
shocked at yet another increase in the tax on their
deposits.
Here are some of the main points:
Property Tax: Properties valued at more than
€100,000 and less than €1 million will be assessed
at the mid-point of valuation band of €50,000 width
- for example, properties valued between €150,001
and €200,000 will be assessed at 0.18 per cent of
€175,000. Properties below €100,000 will be assessed
at 0.18 per cent of €50,000.
Child Benefit will be cut by €10 for the first two
children, €18 for the third, and €20 for the fourth
and subsequent children.
Prescription charge for medical card holders to be
trebled to €1.50 from 50c.
Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance cut
by €50.
Respite Care Grant cut by €325 from €1,700 to €1,375
a year.
DIRT tax will increase from 30% to 33%.
The price of 20 cigarettes rises by 10 cent, while
roll your own tobacco rises by 50 cent per 25g pack
from midnight tonight.
No increase on excise duty on diesel and petrol.
Excise duty on a pint of beer or cider will increase
by 10 cent, on a standard measure of spirits by 10
cent, and €1 on a 75cl bottle of wine from midnight.
Capital Acquisitions Tax and Capital Gains Tax to
increase from 30% to 33% from midnight.
10% reduction to the Party Leaders' Allowance.
Abolition of severance payments for ministers, and
reduction in politicians' expenses, which must all
now be vouched.
Reduction in the Garda overtime.
Student contribution in higher education will be
increased by €250 in 2013, 2014, 2015.
Sick leave referral arrangements for teachers and
SNAs will be made similar to those of the Civil
Service.
Further plans to reduce public service staff numbers
to 282,500 by end 2014. |
