The VAT rates are changing from today – January 1st 2010 in both Ireland and the UK.
Here in Ireland – the  VAT rate is dropping half a percent to 21%. This drop was announced in the latest Budget and is hoped to help increase retail sales.
The UK dropped VAT in December 2008 by 2.5% – it is now reversing that temporary change and VAT in the UK will rie back to 17.5%.  The difference in VAT between the UK and Ireland has decreased by 3 percentage points – but it is still 3.5% more here in Ireland. The changes in VAT might reduce the incentive for Irish shoppers to go into Northern Ieland to do their shopping .
Online retailers outside Ireland are supposed to charge the Irish rate of VAT on orders delivered here. Amazon - one of the biggest online retailers correctly charges Irish VAT to Irish customers. The changes in UK and Irish VAT mean that all Amazon UK prices will have just an extra 3.5% added at checkout to take account of the VAT differences.

The minister for finance in his recent Budget speech – seemed to imply that by cutting the duty on booze – he could stop people going to Northern Ireland to do their shopping. He must think that everyone is piling over the border to stock up on cheap drink – well he musn’t have seen the recent CSO figures on cross-border shopping.
The CSO survey into Cross Border shopping was based on figures from April to June 2009.

The average  household  spend per trip was €286 . Of this – the highest amount was spent on groceries  (€114 ).

Breakdown of spending on other categories:

€77 on Clothing and durables

€53 on Other

€32 on Alcohol – only 11% of the total

€11 on Cosmetics

Other stats show that 44% of trips involved the purchase of Alcohol – while 79% bought groceries and 42% bought clothing etc. 26% bought cosmetics and 19% “Other”

The drop in alcohol prices here in Ireland will have very little effect on the thousands of people going to Northern Ireland to shop. If the government think it will – they are either misleading us or they are stupid.

Ref: Cso Report

The 2010 Budget announced that the  salaries of Ministers and Secretaries General of government departments will be reduced by 15% and the  Taoiseach’s salary will be reduced by 20%.

In the Budget speech – Brian Lenihan made it sound like it was a  bigger cut when he said ..

“those at the top would lead by example in the downward adjustment of pay. He said the largest percentage reduction would be taken by the Taoiseach, who will face a 20 per cent cut in salary. He said that this reduction in addition to the pension levy introduced earlier this year meant that the Taoiseach’s salary will be cut by close to 30 per cent in total”

Of course – that was misleading because he was including the pension levy in that 30% and also the voluntary 10% pay cut taken in  2008 . This 30% figure will probably be printed and published all over the world – and everyone will assume it is the truth.

The Taoiseach’s salary will actually fall from €257,024 to €228,466 – a cut of €28,558, or 11%.

Ministers’ salaries will fall from €202,676 to €191,417 – a cut of €11,259, or 5.5%.

All Cabinet members took a voluntary 10% cut after  the October 2008 Budget. This reduced the Taoiseach’s salary from €285,582 to €257,024 and a minister’s salary from €225,196 to €202,676. But because these were “voluntary” pay cuts,  their “official” salary levels were still recorded at €285,582 and €225,196 respectively – even though they were getting less.

TDs and senators will also see their pay reduced in line with that of the equivalent public service grades. A  TD on the basic salary of €100,190 will see their pay fall by €7,519 to €92,671.

Note: The UK  prime minister’s salary is £194,250  – which is about €214,000

Budget 2010 – December 2009

Jobseekers Allowance Cuts –

Jobseeker’s Allowance for new claimants without dependent children will be reduced to €100 for people aged 20 and 21 (From January 2010).

Jobseeker’s Allowance for new claimants aged 22 to 24 , without dependent children,  will be reduced to €150  (January 2010).

Jobseeker’s Allowance rate will be reduced to €196 for all people aged 25 and over (January 2010).

It will be reduced to €150 where job offers or “activation” measures have been refused.

The Increase for a Qualified Adult for new claimants aged 20 and 21 without dependent children will be reduced to €100 (January 2010).

The Increase for a Qualified Adult for new claimants aged between 22 and 24 without dependent children will be reduced to €130.10 (January 2010).

There will be no change to the maximum rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance for people aged 18 and 19 without dependent children and their qualified adult dependent . This is already set at €100 a week

The full rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance will be paid to claimants under 25 years of age if they participate in an approved education or training course

The Budget announced on December 9th  revealed that Carer’s Allowance will be reduced by €8.50 from Jan 2010 for claimants under 66 years of age.  The Half-rate Carer’s Allowance will be reduced by €4.25 for claimants under 66 years of age.

There will be no reduction in Carer’s Allowance for people aged 66 and over (January 2010).

Carer’s Benefit and Constant Attendance Allowance will be reduced by €8.20 per week from January 2010.

After the Budget – the following Welfare payments will be reduced by €8.30 per week from January 1st 2010

* Jobseeker’s Benefit

* Jobseeker’s Allowance

* Supplementary Welfare Allowance

* One-Parent Family Payment

* Prisoner’s Wife’s Allowance

* Pre-Retirement Allowance

* Farm Assist

* Health and Safety Benefit

* Widow’s and Widower’s (Contributory) Pension (under 66)

* Widow’s and Widower’s (Non-Contributory) Pension

* Guardian’s Payment (Contributory)

* Guardian’s Payment (Non-Contributory)

* Deserted Wife’s Allowance

* Deserted Wife’s Benefit (under 66)

Qualified adult rate for the following payments will be reduced by €5.50 per week:

* Jobseeker’s Benefit

* Jobseeker’s Allowance

* Supplementary Welfare Allowance

* Pre-Retirement Allowance

* Farm Assist

* Health and Safety Benefit

* Illness Benefit

* Disability Allowance

* Blind Pension

Injury Benefit

Note: The Qualified child rate for all social welfare payments will be increased by €3.80 per week . This is to balance the reduction in Child Benefit of €16 a month (3.69 a week). So  the child benefit cut will not affect people on welfare benefits.

These reductions come after another drop in the cost of living figures in Ireland. Also – recent CSO figures show that many families on Welfare Benefits had larger income increases than workers in recent years. See More about that Here

The Budget on December 9th announced that from January 2010 the rates of student grants and scholarships will be reduced by 5%.
It will apply to all existing and new grant-holders.

A change to sick leave for teachers was announced in the 2010 Budget.

From the start of the 2010/11 school year, the maximum number of uncertified sick leave days allowed in the school year for teachers in primary, secondary and community and comprehensive schools will be reduced to seven days. This is the same number of days available for teachers in vocational schools and community colleges.