Dublin Chamber welcomed the commitment to invest the proceeds of the European Court of Justice decision on “Infrastructure Essentials” including water, housing, transport and the energy grid.
Mary Rose Buke, Dublin Chamber CEO, said “Ringfencing funds for vital capital projects is paramount, without the clear allocation of funds, all such projects are merely aspirational. We are glad to see that tangible, ringfenced funding for water, wastewater and electricity grid infrastructure has been agreed by Government in a framework and announced today.
These projects cannot be slowed down, suspended or cancelled due to the vagaries of the economic cycle. The commitment to 1,000 extra Gardaí in 2025, along with 150 additional Garda Civilian staff, that will allow gardaí to return to front line policing will go some way to having a more visible Garda presence on our streets.
“The increased limits for the EIIS and Angel Investor schemes are welcome, but these schemes remain complex and expensive for firms to access. Extending EIIS relief to those paying capital gains tax is a missed opportunity to boost funds to start-ups and scaling firms. More fundamental reform is required by cutting CGT to 20% for investment in unquoted firms.”
“The increase in the entry point to the higher rate of income tax is a welcome measure. People paying the higher rate will fall from a 31% share in 2024 to 29% in 2025. This along with the announced energy credits, will help many households with the cost of living.”
