Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 42: To ask the Minister for Finance if lowering personal income tax bands and credits will form part of the additional revenue raising measures currently being considered by him as part of the fifth quarter requirements of the EU-IMF programme. [18594/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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.