Fianna Fáil convert to Fine Gael’s policies of putting money back in people’s pockets

The prospect of further tax cuts in Budget 2025 by Government parties is a welcome acceptance of Fine Gael’s key priorities, a Fine Gael Senator has said.

Senator Maria Byrne said to hear Fianna Fáil Ministers repeatedly talking of more money back in people’s pockets over recent days, through revenue relief and other measures, seven months before the next Budget is a great development.

Senator Maria Byrne, Fine Gael’s Seanad Spokesperson on Finance, said the same politicians were not so keen when her Fine Gael colleagues proposed tax breaks of €1,000 for middle income workers ahead of Budget 2024.

“Then, Minister Michael McGrath said the Fine Gael call to reduce the tax burden on workers represented an ‘unusual approach’.

“The Fianna Fáil Minister was also concerned that Fine Gael raised this matter during the Summer months before last October’s Budget and claimed he wasn’t going to get involved an auction with other parties on Budget demands.

“However, to hear the Finance Minister and his boss, the Tánaiste talking of all the beneficial changes as early as the first half of April is a most welcome development.

“We have been told this weekend there there will be a hike in tax credits, an increase in the entry point to when you change tax rate, further reductions to the USC, an increase to the pension rate and monthly child benefit payments, as well as more energy credits.

“Bar announcing the arrival of early good Summer weather and a cull of rainfall to help our farmers, they got it all out there.

“As a Fine Gael politician, you can only welcome Fianna Fáil politicians finally seeing the light for hard working families to give them tax breaks as we have long advocated for,” Senator Byrne said.

At the Fine Gael Ard Fheis earlier this month, membership engaged in debates on motions relating to our party’s priority of putting money back in your pocket.

“Our members pledged to protect the squeezed middle by passing a motion put forward to increase the threshold for the higher rate of tax from €42,000 to €50,000. I have been advocating for this for quite some time now, so I was very pleased when our new party leader and An Taoiseach Simon Harris reiterated this commitment.

“Currently in Ireland you can earn up to €42,000 at 20% standard rate of tax, anything higher than that is taxed at 40%. Reducing this higher tax burden has always been at the centre of our party’s policy formation.

“Ireland’s full-time workers earning an average income now pay €4000 less on income tax and USC than they did before Fine Gael entered Government.

“I am proud of this progress. Fine Gael always stands up for people who work hard – the same cannot be said for those who sit on the opposition benches who have repeatedly rallied against reliefs for workers.

“And it is most welcome to see other Government parties are finally accepting that tax cuts and more money back in people’s pockets is the correct way forward,” Senator Byrne concluded.