1. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the level of inflation that was projected by his Department as it prepared budget 2026, including the decision not to provide an income tax adjustment for workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64572/25]
Sentiment score: 0.08
Will the Minister outline the level of inflation that was projected when his party decided on the budget of this year? It was a budget that made a decision to pull the cost-of-living supports, such as energy credits and others, and not give any tax break to workers other than a handful of highly paid executives. How does the inflation rate that was projected when the budget was prepared compare to what we are seeing now in real terms? How will this impact on household wages?
Sentiment score: 0.34
For the budget in which the Government withdrew supports and broke promise after promise about income tax cuts that were made to workers during in election, the Department expected that inflation would be 1.9% next year and 1.8% this year. Maybe the Minister will outline that inflation is actually way above 1.8%, not far off double that figure. Would the Minister not agree? We understand the flash estimate puts inflation at 3.2%. Does the Minister have any concern that there are people out there who are finding it really difficult to make ends meet? Many of them are not making ends meet. The Government projected a budget based on a projected rate of inflation that is way lower than what is actually happening in the real, lived experience of people's lives. Will the Minister consider a cost-of-living package or is the message "You are on your own, folks"?
Sentiment score: -0.09
Is it not great for someone in the Minister's position to talk about getting back into the "normal rhythm" of something soon? When I go back to Donegal and talk to my constituent who simply cannot heat her home, I will tell her not to worry because the Minister says we are going to get back into the "normal rhythm" of things in a couple of years, closer to an election no doubt. It will be closer to an election because that is what the Minister does. He gives plenty of promises in the run-up to the election but, first thing after an election, promise after promise is broken. The Government brought forward a budget that had inflation rates nearly half of what they are currently. Things are worse off. That is why people in wheelchairs were outside the Dáil today. That is why they are coming up in the middle of a storm saying to the Government and the Minister that they need emergency supports this winter. The Minister needs to hear the pleas of the nearly 500,000 people who cannot heat their homes at this point in time, or is the message to them that they have to buckle up and tighten their belts until, in a couple of years’ time and closer to a general election, it will be okay again and we will get back into the "normal rhythm" of things?
Sentiment score: -0.08
They are higher than ever.
Sentiment score: 0.00
But they are higher than ever.
Sentiment score: 0.00
The Minister promised to reduce energy costs.
Sentiment score: 0.56
I am not shouting.
Sentiment score: 0.00
I am just reminding the Minister of what he said.
Sentiment score: 0.00
The Minister nearly said "childcare" there.
Sentiment score: 0.00
The Government broke that promise too.
Sentiment score: -0.13
3. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of people that have filed an updated valuation for the LPT that have gone up a band; the average additional cost for those households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64573/25]
Sentiment score: 0.03
The local property tax, LPT, increase kicked in last month. The Government has ensured that virtually every household in the State has experienced a property tax increase. Thousands faced a substantial increase as they were pushed into higher valuation bands. Now that the households that are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis have gotten their letters through the door telling them that their property tax is going up, how many have filed updated valuations for the LPT that have gone up a band? What is the average additional cost to those households that have moved into an increased band?
Sentiment score: 0.12
The information the Minister is giving me is outdated, obviously. As he mentioned, it goes back to September. Since then the letters have gone out, the evaluations have been done and the returns have been filed. I assume going from his answer that he does not have information as to what percentage of people actually went up a band. I raise this issue because the Government introduced legislation that increased the band valuation by 20%, but when that legislatoin was introduced, house prices had already gone up 29%. In counties such as Donegal, Cavan, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo, they had already gone up 40%. All of those property owners are going to be hammered as a result of what the Government has done. Many houses are going to be moving up a band as a result of that. There is an issue if, for example, property owners go from the lower band up to the next band and they are being asked to pay an extra €140. Is the Minister telling me that he has no new information despite the fact that 1.4 million people have actually filed the returns? Is he saying he cannot tell me today what percentage has moved up a band or not?
Sentiment score: -0.02
Does the Minister accept that the legislation that underpins the revaluation increased the bands by 20% and that official statistics in counties such as Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo and Galway also had house prices increasing by 40%? The Minister referenced Revenue date published back in September. It estimated that 15% of all households in Galway would actually increase a band. There will be major differentiation across regions. Everybody is paying higher local property tax under Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Every single person is paying more. Everybody's property tax increased as a result of this but some had their tax substantially increased. At a time developers are being given hundreds of millions of euro in tax breaks by the Minister's party, people out there are being hit again and again as a result of this revaluation.
Sentiment score: 0.25
We were phasing it out.
Sentiment score: 0.00