Inflation Rate
Dail Éireann — 2025-12-09
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Simon Harris (FG), Wicklow

That is not the message. The message is that we took a number of measures in this year's budget that will help families, businesses and workers as well. It includes investing - the Deputy and I have different policy views on this - and deciding to extend the renter's tax credit for a further three years. It includes making sure that people who benefit from the minimum wage increase do not find themselves paying a higher rate of USC, but also investing in protecting people's jobs because that is a very important thing to do. This was the first budget in the lifetime of the Government as well. We will now get back into the normal rhythm of income tax packages in future budgets too.
We took a decision to deliver on a number of commitments that were made, including some that the Deputy supports, such as the reduced VAT rate for the hospitality sector. The benefit of that decision will be seen even more in the time ahead because we are seeing some softening in the labour force figures. Supporting those jobs is important. That helps workers to ensure they can keep their jobs. It helps to keep the businesses in which they work open at a time when there are significant economic headwinds.
As the Deputy knows, there are no plans to reopen the budget. With regard to the Department’s forecasts as, again, the Deputy knows, the Department forecasts a certain rhythm each year and the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council endorses those figures.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-12-09/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:26+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-09