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Reposted by Michael Taft

Orla Hegarty @orla-hegarty.bsky.social · 1d

📻 I’ll be speaking about #housing in #Budget2026 tonight on @rteradio1.bsky.social @latedebaterte.bsky.social 10-11pm #SpeirGorm

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Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · 3d

Probably the most succinct (and correct) description of Budget 2026. Note: it is not so much 'pro-business' as 'pro-business owner'. It is highly debatable whether tax cuts will boost business productivity. And also note the 'austerity' headline above.

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Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · 5d

There is always a lot of noise and numbers in the run-up to the budget. Here are a few facts that might help you survive the tsunami of assertions and assumptions on Tuesday: spending, poverty, profits, VAT cuts, multi-national bail-outs and much more: tinyurl.com/2ze7kcxh

Some Facts to Help You Survive the Budget

There is always a lot of noise and numbers in the run-up to the budget. Here are a few facts that might help you wade through this forest of assertions, assumptions and anecdotes. 1. &nb…

tinyurl.com

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Reposted by Michael Taft

Orla Hegarty @orla-hegarty.bsky.social · 6d

If James Browne wants to get ‘radical’ about housing, here are five things he must do www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025...

Lorcan Sirr: The five things Ireland must do to help fix housing

Introduce a residency requirement, change the legal definition of ‘rent’ and start counting bed spaces

www.irishtimes.com

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Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · 8d

Notes on the Front is moving. You can now find it at notesonthefront.org . Hope to see you there.

Notes on the Front

Commentary on Irish Political Economy by Michael Taft, researcher for SIPTU

notesonthefront.org

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Reposted by Michael Taft

Orla Hegarty @orla-hegarty.bsky.social · 11d

“Pay rises for construction workers are solution to housing crisis, not the problem, says union”
www.independent.ie/irish-news/p...

Pay rises for construction workers are solution to housing crisis, not the problem, says union

Pay rises are the solution to the housing crisis and not a problem, a union has claimed.

www.independent.ie

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Reposted by Michael Taft

Doug Henwood @doughenwood.bsky.social · 13d

The war in Ukraine has been very good for the stock prices of European arms makers. From Bloomberg:

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Reposted by Michael Taft

Phil McDuff @mcduff.bsky.social · 16d

It's so strange to me how the absolutely core question at the heart of politics - "what kind of society do we want to live in?" - is so absent from discussion, either assumed settled or reduced to meaningless generalities.

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Reposted by Michael Taft

Grace Blakeley @graceblakeley.substack.com · 28d

The White House’s furious response to the decision by Norway’s SWF to divest from Caterpillar over its support for Israeli war crimes tells us something important: divestment works.

And it works even more effectively in a democratic financial system.
graceblakeley.substack.com/p/divestment...

Divestment Works.

When finance is accountable to the people, elites get scared.

graceblakeley.substack.com

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Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · Aug 29

The Covid and cost-of-living crises have been good for profits. Since 2019, profits in the domestic sector (basically SMEs) increased by 72%. Wages increased by 40%. In the last year, profits grew by 10%. For wages it was 6%. Yet owners demand more tax breaks and subsidies.

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Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · Aug 28

It is claimed that cutting VAT (cost: €700 million) will help restaurants and coffee shops. Yet, less than 20% of that tax cut will benefit those businesses. 60% will go to fast-food outlets and meals in hotels. This is highly wasteful and inefficient: tinyurl.com/mrkamxrh

Wasteful Spending, Irrational Policy

In order to assist restaurants, cafes and coffee shops, the Government intends to cut VAT in the upcoming budget at a cost of nearly €700 million. There’s one problem: restaurants, cafes and coffee sh...

tinyurl.com

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Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · Aug 28

It is claimed that cutting VAT (cost: €700 million) will help restaurants and coffee shops. Yet, less than 20% of that tax cut will benefit those businesses. 60% will go to fast-food outlets and meals in hotels. This is highly wasteful and inefficient. tinyurl.com/mrkamxrh

Wasteful Spending, Irrational Policy

In order to assist restaurants, cafes and coffee shops, the Government intends to cut VAT in the upcoming budget at a cost of nearly €700 million. There’s one problem: restaurants, cafes and coffee sh...

tinyurl.com

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Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · Aug 12

Instead of cutting taxes by €1.5 billion we should be raising tax revenue by €1.5 billion. A difficult sell, but it is cynical to claim we can support living standards, reduce poverty and promote a strong social state through a tax-cutting budget. tinyurl.com/59bjdua2

Unpackaging Tax Cuts

In the debate over the ‘tax package’ in the upcoming budget there is an assumption that the tax base should be further reduced, overall tax revenue should be cut, that hollowing out our tax base makes...

tinyurl.com

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Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · Aug 10

Over the last 5 years, the nuclear-armed countries spent over $400 billion on their nuclear arsenals. For half that amount we could end global hunger. The EU should take the global lead and declare Europe to be a nuclear-weapon-free zone. Source: ICAN

Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · Aug 9

Thanks for that.

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Reposted by Michael Taft

Trades Union Congress @tuc.org.uk · Aug 7

Huge win for workers!🥳

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Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · Aug 7

Do you have a link for that?

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Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · Aug 7

Ireland has the fewest number of labour inspectors in the EU, bar Malta. A weak and under-resourced labour inspectorate puts employees at risk, allows low-road employers to undermine good businesses, and weakens consumer safety. Everyone loses. Source: ILO

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Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · Aug 5

The Government justifies a number of policies – postponing the Living Wage, cutting VAT – on the basis that small businesses are under pressure. Yet the Government publishes survey data showing SME profitability has never been higher. So what's going on? tinyurl.com/3zrcrjhk

The Small Business Excuse

A number of measures have been justified on the basis of their impact on small business. Postponing the Living Wage – impact on small business. Postponing the extension of statutory sick pay – impact ...

tinyurl.com

Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · Jul 29

Fiscal policy is in danger of repeating the past. A large economic deficit subsidised by a shrinking pool of money. If tariffs hit growth, the Government will squeeze spending, reducing growth further. Been there, done that, bought the austerity t-shirt. tinyurl.com/2uyy8347

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum: The Summer Economic Statement’s Magic Beans

The Government’s fiscal policy is high risk to the point of irresponsibility. The recently published Summer Economic Statement (SES) attempts to mask this. According to the Irish Fiscal Advisory Counc...

tinyurl.com

Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · Jul 29

Fiscal policy is in danger of repeating the past. A large economic deficit subsidised by a shrinking pool of money. If tariffs hit growth, the Government will squeeze spending, reducing growth further. Been there, done that, bought the austerity t-shirt: tinyurl.com/2uyy8347

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum: The Summer Economic Statement’s Magic Beans

The Government’s fiscal policy is high risk to the point of irresponsibility. The recently published Summer Economic Statement (SES) attempts to mask this. According to the Irish Fiscal Advisory Counc...

tinyurl.com

Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · Jul 28

Ireland will disporportionately suffer from the 15% tariff. Over a quarter of all Irish goods exports go to the US. The EU average is 8%. How is this a good deal for Ireland or the EU?

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Michael Taft @michael-taft.bsky.social · Jul 25

Average CEO pay in large Irish publicly quoted companies rose by 31%. Average employee wage rose by approximately 4%. Increase in CEO pay rose nearly 8 times faster. This should be a political issue.

What do Ireland’s best paid chief executives earn?

www.irishtimes.com/business/202...

What do Ireland’s best paid chief executives earn?

Top executives’ average pay package rose by 31 per cent to €4.36m last year

www.irishtimes.com

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Reposted by Michael Taft

Orla Hegarty @orla-hegarty.bsky.social · Jul 16

🎧 New Apartment Standards the 20th Century Tenements

My conversation with Rory Hearne on Reboot Republic podcast (no paywall) www.patreon.com/posts/patron...

Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/4DZe...
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/r...

394. New Apartment Standards – The 21st Century Tenements with Orla Hegarty

Reboot Republic - Rory Hearne by Tortoise Shack Media · Episode

open.spotify.com

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Reposted by Michael Taft

Giles Wilkes @gilesyb.bsky.social · Jul 8

I am writing a policy pamphlet. Here are all the ways to demonstrate I don't really have a policy answer, that I need to avoid:

a. You call for a "national conversation or debate"
b. You suggest that what is needed is “a change in culture”
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