Stephen Kearon PC

The “Assessment of the Impact of the Fiscal Treaty on the Irish Economy” by Indecon represents an independent economic analysis of the impact of the Treaty on Stability, Convergence and Growth (the ‘Fiscal Treaty’) on the Irish economy. The research includes an analysis of a new survey of leading independent non-government academic and research economists […]

Read the full story

There is still much misinformation about the amount of income tax paid in Ireland vs the UK Click here to see latest comparison, this is based on 2012 rates and includes all levies as well as USC change in Budget 2012.

Read the full story

Minister for Misery, Labour’s Brendan Howlin, certainly lived up to his party’s pledge to protect the Croke Park agreement, all at the expense (literally) of the 1.5m people who work in the private sector.  This is Labour’s way. Rather than stopping the €1.2b in increments paid to his public service union buddies, he attacked working […]

Read the full story

Yesterday I participated in Newstalk’s Coleman at Large programme, John O’Donovan and John McGuirk presented the programme and on the panel was myself, Georgina Robinson of Gerald Keane & Co Solicitors and Seamus Dooley, Irish Secretary of the NUJ. We had a lively discussion on many issues, including Labour Minister Joan Burton’s decision to cut fuel […]

Read the full story

FF’s 4 year plan (whether you agreed with it or not) did set out exactly the fiscal measures that would have to be taken to get Ireland’s deficit back in line so that we could return to the markets and remove ourselves from the grip of the EU-IMF. The secondary purpose of the plan was […]

Read the full story

Yesterday the Irish Independent highlighted yet another example of welfare fraud, when it revealed that over 2,000 prisoners fraudulently claimed welfare last year while they were in jail (1,661), or amazingly whilst even on the run (381). Assuming each dole thief claimed the minimum payment of €188 per week, this means the tax payer was […]

Read the full story

What was most shocking in TV3’s programme ‘Fiddling the System’ was the complete disregard the welfare cheats had for their fellow citizens. Welfare fraud is a criminal act that damages communal cohesion and concepts of fairness within society, this illegal, selfish behaviour should never be  tolerated, but especially now when resources are scarce. RTE’s Prime Time Investigates […]

Read the full story

The proposal to  to phase out payments to long-term unemployed isn’t a unique idea, in fact its standard policy in many other EU countries, and now needs to be considered carefully and fairly here. As a tax payer I strongly believe that the State should help those who can’t help themselves or those that fall […]

Read the full story

The announcement today that the FG/Labour coalition has decided pensioners will no be longer exempt from passport charges is disgusting and will not be forgetten by our senior citizens. Thanks to the FF led Govt in 2005 over 65s were entitled to get their passports for free, but they will now have to pay €95, which […]

Read the full story

Last weekend the Govt briefed all the media that the ECB would be announcing medium term funding arrangements for our banks on the same day as the stress test results. However there was no annoucement, just silence from the ECB. (more…)

Read the full story