Thomas Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We have heard a good deal today about the benefits for employment creation in this budget but let us consider some of the specifics. When the retention of the 9% VAT rate is removed, there is very little left. The Start Your Own Business scheme provides an income tax exemption of €40,000 per annum for unemployed people who have been unemployed for at least 15 months and who somehow rack-up a tax bill of €40,000 in the following year. I wish them the best of luck but I would say they will be few and far between. That is worth €1 million. It will apply to a very small number of people. There is another €1 million allocated in respect of the employment and investment incentive. We should not forget that these provisions are tax breaks that will be taken up by wealthy people. Film relief of €15 million will be given to large film companies. Some €20 million will be allocated for the Living City initiative. That funding should be shared around other towns other than those listed in the budget. The provision is essentially for very wealthy people to live in fine residential properties in our cities. There is an allocation of €20 million between now and 2018 in respect of capital gains tax entrepreneurial relief. Some €1 million has been allocated for capital gain tax retirement relief. All the job incentives being lauded here and the talk of small businesses benefiting from them are small pickings compared to the hardship being expended and that has been caused to many ordinary families around the country.