Now.
In the Dáil.
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan is delivering his sixth budget speech since 2011. To wit:
9% VAT rate for tourism and hospitality industry will be retained
Start Your Own Business scheme to be extended for a further two years
Low cost, highly flexible loan fund for farmers announced
€1,270 income tax credit for fishermen
Help to Buy scheme announced for first-time buyers relating to newly-built homes
Home renovation scheme extended for two years to end of 2018
Rent-a-Room income ceiling up by €2,000 to €14,000
Lower three USC rates to be reduced by 0.5% – USC 1% rate cut to 0.5%; 3% rate cut to 2.5%; 5.5% rate cut to 5%
2.5% USC rate ceiling increased from €18,668 to €18,772
€100 increase in Home Carers’ Credit to €1,100
DIRT will be reduced by 2% each year to 2020 (41% to 33%)
Mortgage Interest Relief will be extended beyond December 2017 to 2020
Earned Income Tax Credit for self-employed increased by €400 to €950
New relief from carbon tax for solid fuels announced
Intention to introduce tax on sugar-sweetened drinks in April 2018 after public consultation
Excise duty on pack of 20 cigarettes to go up by 50 cents
€1.2bn in funding for housing, with 47,000 new social housing units by 2021
Additional €105m to enable 15,000 more households to avail of the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme
Budget 2017: The key points (RTÉ)
Watch live here
Earlier: What About A Radical Alternative?
