TACKLING THE
CRISIS
300,000 jobs were lost in the 3 years before this Government took office. In the past year private sector employment increased by 20,000. IDA supported jobs increased by 12,000 since 2011 and exports are now 10% higher than 2007. 100,000 people left the live register into jobs in 2012 yet others are still losing theirs – but we are acting to fix these problems.
SUPPORTING SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
RESTORING OUR ECONOMIC SOVEREIGNTY ■ We met all our targets as part of the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support meaning we are on track to regain our financial independence.
■ The bond rates on our sovereign debt fell by over half in 2012. ■ Over €7 billion was raised by the Government on bond markets last year – a positive message that the world is ready to invest in Ireland. The Bank of Ireland, ESB, Bord Gais and AIB have all raised funds in their own names for the first time in years.
SMEs make up 99% of businesses in Ireland and account for almost 70% of people employed. A range of measures were announced in Budget 2013 to support this critical sector including:
■ The economy was forecast to grow by 0.9% in 2012 with investment up, and consumer demand
■ 10 Point Tax Reform Plan that includes an improved Research &
■ In June we secured a breakthrough with European agreement, in principle, to break the link
Development Tax Credit, an increase in VAT cash receipts threshold to €1.25 million, and extension of Employment and Investment Incentive scheme to 2020.
■ Rebate on Diesel for licensed hauliers from 1 July 2013. ■ The National Pension Reserve Fund will develop a range of support funds for the SME sector, and a new network of Local Enterprise Offices has been set up.
■ The €90 million Micro Finance Loan Scheme is targeted at small enterprises with less than €2 million turnover, and €225 million is dedicated to the Development Capital Scheme.
■ The Credit Guarantee Scheme of €450 million is now in place. AIB and Bank of Ireland also have lending targets of €4 billion in 2013 and will meet their 2012 targets of €3.5 billion.
■ Supporting the Tourism sector with 9% VAT rate and The Gathering 2013.
2013 Kevin Humphreys TD
PROGRESS MADE IN 2012
stabilising.
BUDGET GUIDE 2013
between bank and national debt.
■ Unemployment levels remain too high but latest figures show a fall on an annual basis for first
nt this year was The task facing the Governme Budget had to find harder than ever before. The providing essential still le whi savings of €3.5 billion welfare payments public services, funding social wth. and investing in jobs and gro ke the budget as fair ma to The Labour Party set out no good or easy is re the w kno as possible but we trying to balance way to reduce spending while Ireland’s books.
time since 2005.
■ 2012 was a record year for Foreign Direct Investment in Ireland with the IDA announcing 84 projects set to create some 8,650 jobs.
■ In 2012 our exports reached an all-time high of €171 billion.
REFORMING POLITICS ■ No more un-vouched expenses for TDs and Senators, with 20% reduction. ■ Abolished severance payments for Ministers. ■ Halved Oireachtas Envelope provision and reduced number of TDs by 8 from 166 to 158. ■ 10% cut in Party Leader’s allowance and statement of expenditure must be given.
INVESTING IN IRELAND’S FUTURE
■ Travel and Accommodation allowance reduced by up to 25%.
■ €2.25 billion stimulus package announced last summer will invest in shovel ready projects such as the Grangegorman campus and 20 primary care centres creating up to 13,000 jobs.
■ Ambitious programme of local government reform announced.
■ 10 year €175 million Venture Capital Fund to fund new and expanding Irish companies, and €35 million of seed capital committed to retrofit industry for Energy Efficiency Fund.
■ €3.5 billion allocated in 2013 for capital investment all over Ireland in infrastructure such as the LUAS, school buildings, water schemes & the National Children’s Hospital.
■ Enterprise Ireland will invest €127 million, supporting 95 new High Potential Start-Ups and creating over 1,000 jobs. Science Foundation Ireland will support 3,000 researchers in 2013.
■ The IDA has been allocated €86 million for capital spending supporting R&D, employment and capital grants, and is targeting 12,000 new FDI jobs next year.
making progress and 85% been made.
have to pay back. If we are now is money our children will row bor we o eur ra ext ry eve Still, ween what we spend and in, we have to close the gap bet to stand on our own feet aga what we take in. ernment has: we had to take, Labour in Gov Despite the tough decisions
■ Constitutional Convention set up and Ireland will join the global Open Government Partnership. ■ Freedom of Information being extended to more State bodies, Whistleblowing laws being reformed, and the Ombudsman has been given more powers.
■ Stronger Ethics legislation, transparency in lobbying, and a revised budgetary process.
■ Protected core social
GOVERNMENT OBJECTIVES IN 2013
welfare payments, including jobseekers allowance and state pensions. ■ Increased taxes on wealth including a mansion tax. ■ Provided increased training and education places for the unemployed ■ Retained the pupil teacher ratio in public primary and secondary schools ■ Maintained funding for disabilities and special needs education.
■ Achieving a deal on the Toxic Bank Debt, including a restructuring of the Promissory Notes. ■ Continue to create jobs and growth. ■ Use our Presidency of the European Union to tackle unemployment and youth unemployment. ■ Continue to repair our national finances in as fair a way as possible.
■ NAMA is making €2 billion available for completing building projects in Ireland.
■ Move towards exiting the troika programme to regain our economic independence.
■ Package of measures to attract international aviation services to Ireland and Shannon.
■ Further help those in mortgage difficulty – Personal Insolvency Bill will come into force next year. ■ Continue to grow our exports, support SMEs, and attract even more Foreign Direct Investment.
BUDGET CHANGES IN HEALTH Over €13.6 billion will be spent in Health next year and it is a tough area to make savings in.
■ Prescription Charges have been raised to €1.50 up to a maximum of €19.50 per family per month, and the monthly threshold for the Drugs Payment Scheme is now €144.
, we will still have to Even after this difficult budget to run the country. 3 borrow over €12 billion in 201 billion, but we are 15 € row Last year, we had to bor send the Troika home have now of the adjustments needed to
■ Use The Gathering to increase tourism, income and jobs.
Working with your Local Labour Team
ment is to get Ireland back to challenge for Labour in Govern This work continues and the ensure the mistakes of the and egotiate our bank debt ren ble, era vuln the t tec pro work, past are never repeated. and how they affect you. If isions made in Budget 2013 dec ny ma the out sets let This leaf in touch. on any aspect, please do get you have a specific question
■ Income limits for medical cards for those over 70 have been changed. Asset contribution for Fair Deal to increase to 22.5%. Full details are available on www.citizensinformation.ie
■ Public in-patients charge now €80 per day (€5 increase) subject to a cap of €800 in a year. Medical card holders still exempt.
■ ‘€200 million will be saved on consultants contracts in 2013 and €160 million will be saved on drugs.
■ €35 million has been allocated for new mental health services in 2013 as part of a Vision for Change.
Ruairi Quinn TD 01 618 3434 minister@education.gov.ie
Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 Phone: 01 618 3224 Mobile: 087 2989103 Email: kevin.humphreys@oir.ie Web: www.kevinhumphreys.ie
Leinster House, Kildare St, Dublin 2 Emer Costello MEP Tel: 01 618 3224 01 874 6109 Mobile 087 298 9103 emer.costello@europarl.europa.eu Email: kevin.humphreys@oireachtas.ie 0612
The first people from this will be those with certain long term illnesses.
Contact Kevin
Kevin Humphreys TD
■ €15 million has been set aside for the phased roll out of free GP care.
Kevin Humphreys @KHumphreysTD