Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Finance if he supports the statement by An Taoiseach that budget 2012 will contain no income tax increases. [18565/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government states that as part of the Government's fiscal strategy we will maintain the current rates of income tax together with bands and credits. As the Deputy is aware, the Government has initiated a Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE) to provide the Government with a set of decision options to meet the overall fiscal consolidation objectives and re-align spending with the Programme for Government priorities. The CRE is due to be completed by end September 2011.

When this review is complete, the Government will examine the findings and, based on these findings and consultation with the Troika, will introduce fiscally neutral changes to the detail of the EU /IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland while maintaining the overall commitment to fiscal consolidation.

There is no difference between my position on taxation and that of the Taoiseach.