SLIGO’S WISHLIST FOR BUDGET 2017
STUDENTS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES CALL FOR INVESTMENT IN SLIGO
IT Sligo Students’ Union has been actively engaged in campaigning with the Union of Students in Ireland in the run up to Budget 2017 due out today.
Issues that they would see as being of particular importance to Sligo students are; • For the Government to reduce the Student Contribution charge by a minimum of € 500. Forthe Government to reverse the decision made in Budget 2011 to reduce the grant by 4% and a further 3% in Budget 2012. Forthe Government to reverse the decision taken in Budget 2011 and decrease the qualifying criteria for the non- adjacent rate of the grant from 45km to 24km. For the Government to fully reinstate the postgraduate grant in Budget 2017. For the Government to begin phased restoration of the Student Assistance Fund to 2012 rates to reflect the real costs attached to participation in Higher Level Education in Ireland. Meanwhile Sligo Chamber of Commerce will host a post- budget breakfast briefing in the Sligo Park at 7.30am tomorrow • • • • ( Wednesday morning) where details of the budget will be discussed and explained.
Martin Coggins from Coggins and Co will be presenting to between 50- 60 members and their employees. There are 2 CPD credits available to those attending.
Sligo Chamber has called for increased flexibility in regulations governing pension to allow workers to gradually transition into full retirement.
They want the Government to bring in incentives to encourage enrolment in private sector pensions; a subsidy rather than a tax relief may be more attractive to workers they say.
The Chamber would like the Government to ensure that it is as administratively easy and cost effective as possible for Small to Medium Enterprises and entrepreneurs to establish or participate in pension schemes.
They’d also like a sustainable system for the funding of public sector pension to be delivered.
In their pre- budget recommendations, Sligo Chamber called for various measures supporting growth in the region. They include; • Equity in tax credits by ending discrimination of the self- employed. Increase the Earned Income Tax Credit to ¤ 1,650 to match that of the PAYE workers. • A timeline should be set out to bring the USC for the self- employed earning over ¤ 100,000 in line with that of PAYE workers. A reduction of the marginal tax rate to below 50% would provide a tax system that supports productivity and will help attract and maintain • a skilled workforce. A further decrease of Capital Gains Tax rate to 10% and an increase to a ¤ 10million lifetime threshold. Self- employed and owner- directors should be able to avail of an opt- in social protection scheme to allow them access to social welfare should their business fail. Increase flexibility in the application of approved Employee Share Schemes. Reduce the liability for taxation for qualifying SMEs and their employees under Employee Share Schemes. Maintain the 12.5% Corporate Tax rate. Retain the 9% VAT rate for hospitality and tourism sectors. Sligo Chamber also called for investment in housing, water, transport, broadband for the area.
They’d like a vacant site value tax which rises as the value of vacant land suitable for development rises.
They want a sustainable funding model for Irish Water agreed and implemented as soon as possible, with appropriate charges for both domestic as well as non- domestic users.
They also called for the Government to prioritise and accelerate investment in the roll out of the National Broadband Plan to areas where there is a capacity to generate an economic activity amongst local businesses.
Sligo Chamber called for childcare subsidies conditional on educational quality standards being met, capitation grants for childcare providers and a national policy to provide after- school care. • • • • • •