ireland.com - Focus - Budget 2007

Minister for Finance, Brian Cowen, speaking to Pat Kenny on RTÉ Radio on the morning after the announcement of the Budget

Tax changes dominate Budget as pensions and welfare rise
07/12/2006:A €1.25 billion package of tax changes, including a one percentage point cut in the top rate, an increase in tax credits and a widening of tax bands, was the central feature of the Budget announced yesterday by the Minister for Finance.
125,000 mortgage holders to gain but spectre of stamp duty remains
07/12/2006: An estimated 125,000 people with their first homes are set to benefit from changes in mortgage interest relief by the Minister for Finance.
High earners biggest winners in €1.25bn personal tax package
07/12/2006: Taxpayers will share a €1.25 billion personal tax package next year, following Brian Cowen's decision to increase personal tax credits, widen the standard rate tax band and cut the top rate of tax by 1 per cent.
Welfare groups give a mixed reaction
07/12/2006: Anti-poverty campaigners and children's rights groups gave a mixed response to yesterday's Budget.
Children, carers and elderly to share €15bn package
07/12/2006: More than 400,000 older people will benefit from pension increases which will raise the weekly non-contributory pension to €200 and the contributory pension to €209.
Rise in mortgage relief gets mixed reaction
07/12/2006: First-time buyers: Prospective first-time buyers gave a mixed reaction to the measures in the Budget aimed at helping them buy a home, writes John Downes.
First-home buyers, high-income workers and smokers do best
07/12/2006: High-income workers, first-time house buyers and non-smokers will do the best out of Budget 2007, which also included improvements for pensioners and carers.
Large surplus expected
07/12/2006: Tax receipts Thanks to the exceptionally healthy state of the Exchequer coffers, the Government will run a substantial surplus at the end of 2006.

Budget gives boost to low-income earners
08/12/2006: While high-income groups have seen greater absolute rises, the incomes of workers in lower brackets are growing faster, writes Tim Callan.

Budget in focus