TD Joe Cooney On Fine Gael Think-In

0:00The point at which people pay the higher rate of income tax is going to be raised every year for the next four years. The Tonistet and Finance Minister Simon Harris will make this promise this morning at day two of Finnegaill's part think in in Goryn-Hadieu-Exford. He'll make the multi-year commitment to income tax cuts and will say he will raise the threshold at which people pay the higher rate of tax in each of the next four budgets. The Tonistet says they also want to look at long-term measures when it comes to energy in this budget. But I do also know that I think people want us to try and see if we can do more than just providing assistance for this bill and if we can actually try and provide them with assistance and clarity and some degree of certainty at a very uncertain time for the months ahead. To talk more about the budget, Finnegaill think in and more besides, join now by the butake Finnegaill TD, Joe Cooney, Joe Good morning to you. Morning, Ellen. Thanks very much for joining us. So we heard from your party leader there and he's also saying middling come workers can be hundreds of euro better off.

1:01What do you think hundreds actually means? Are we talking 200, 500, 800 euro? People are going to be pretty keen to know how much better off they'll be. So look at our people. We'll be pretty keen to know which they're better. How much better after we'll be going into the future. We'll, we'll, we'll have the cost of living out there at the moment. We'll, we'll have the fuel cost energy costs and all those. As the, as the Tarnishes said, Smarlin, he will be announced in this under sixth of October. I'm budgeted there. We don't almost better after we'll be, it's important that we'll be better off. Costs are going crazy, Ellen. We're well aware and it's important to look after the Watkin people and all people need to be looked after. But if people just go out to work, help him to run this country. It's important to give them tax breaks as well. Tentay some because of costs. And my believe is, yes, definitely be announced in the budget under sixth of October. And hopefully it will be a good announcement. And it will be one that will be positive for the people that's gone out walking and taxes that we're well aware

2:02of a severe unfamilies at the moment. And the reason I asked that question, Joe, is because people, you know, they'll hear Simon Harris saying, if they're a middle-income worker, they'll be 100 zero better off. And that the impact of the budget measures could be significant. And they could, you know, understandably get a little bit excited or optimistic. And then they might hear Jack Chambers, the public expenditure minister describing the budget measures as modest, which is a bit a bit of a cognitive disconnect there. So who's setting realistic expectations here is that the tonnest or the public expenditure minister? Look at the middle-income workers need to be looked after. And we in government are walking together to look after those people. And we're here as a government, we are backbenchers. We are trying our best for the middle-income workers, like we are far the people in this country, which as a government, we'll walk together to achieve as much as possible to help and support these families who are coming under pressure at the moment. And I'm well aware

3:02of building this coming in, the increase in the bills, and easy to important the government, what is a team to try and achieve the best for these people and all families out there. And in fairness, in fairness, the tonnest of means for finance and Jack Chambers are walking together to try and achieve this going forward. Are they working as close as they should be? You say it's important the government works as a team, but you know, very different messages there coming from Jack Chambers and Simon Harris, you know, working closely on the budget. And it's not the first time we've heard different messages from Finne Gayle and Fina Fall and some budget measures. How united is this coalition really going into budget 2027? And is there still a lot more backroom heated discussions or horse trading to go on before the 6th of October? As you're well aware, Alan, there's a lot of issues out there to be dealt with. And it's important that those issues are dealt with as good as possible. And as I've said, I don't want to repeat myself well aware of the cost of living, the cost of fuel, the cost of energy

4:06and energy at the moment. And each is important that we've under-confused well, that there is enough of funding coming in to pay out to the different organisations, but the most important thing is we walk as a team, we have been walking as a team, and we've continued to walk as a team far the people of our counties and our country gone forward, which is vital and important. It's going to be very important, budget under 6th of October. A lot of people with the supporters of the budget was announced 12 months ago. It is important that a good budget is announced under 6th of October. As you're well aware, at the time, same said it's morning. You're not making any announcements until budgetary. And hopefully what's announced the budget, our budgetary will be positive for families going forward, who are some of them struggling at the moment. You've just mentioned there that those middle, the squeeze, so-called squeeze, middle and income earners would have been disappointed with the budget 12 months ago. Who's going to be disappointed by budget 2027? Because there'll be some people who will say,

5:10well, why should a worker earn in 50 grand, get a tax cut when someone on a lower income, who isn't paying watching income tax gets little or nothing from that particular measure? Are they are they going to be the ones who'll be annoyed in the aftermath of the budget announcement? As I've said the only one, we've looked at trying to get a balance here, and what was not no matter what balance you'll get, they'll be still people to disappoint us. And rightly so, and I can see why there will be disappoint us. Bush, we know of the sea of issues at the moment, we know what's happening in the Middle East and in more than different parts of the world, which are not helping the situation. We're well aware of those. Bush, again, it's budgetary. People have been watching to see what will be announced on budgetary. No matter what you want, please everyone. Bush, at the moment, as I've said at the outset, the cost of living is gone crazy, the cost of fuel, the cost of energy, and those are issues we'll have to see how they can be subordered, how families can be subordered, gone forward to see to deal with those bills. Builds are coming in

6:13daily. We're well aware of them and mounted people that's behind payment on electricity bills and so forth. And it's important to see what can be done to support those, long support, and the work of the day's country. And Joe, does that mean then that even if this budget is aimed at helping middle and comariner's, you know, that they'll ultimately be disappointed as well? Because I mean if someone's working full time, they're paying tax, they're paying peer assigned, but still struggling with whatever it might be, the mortgage, the rent, the childcare and energy, when I'll say it and don't, there's a few hundred euro really going to transform their circumstances. Again, as the time has to say, the early one, this is the cost of four budgets gone forward. It's not all going to happen in one budget. Is it going to happen often this number of budgets? That is deafness. And as I said, you're not going to pay everyone, but you try to run the country and you try to support the people in the country as well. And as I said, the early one, you have to try and get that balance that you'll bring everyone with you. And that's what's going to be tried. We don't end up coming the budgets under six October and answer the

7:17budgets after that for the next three years after that. Yeah, I mean, look, maybe by the third and fourth budget, people might be a bit happier, but it just seems they've given people a few hundred euro through tax cuts, but households then face higher energy insurance, food and housing costs. That not much of that money is actually going to represent an improvement in living standards. And who knows where oil prices will be in 2027, 28 or 29. There seems to be no end-and-size Joe to events in the Middle East. I mean, if all prices rise, will the government intervene again through fuel excise as a prepared to allow motorists to absorb the increase? Well, again, we have no idea what's going to happen in the Middle East gone forward. At the moment, we're well aware the price of petrol and diesel is increasing. That's not helping the situation, whether it's going to get lost there or whether it's going to improve there. We just all know we've to wear some sea and issues put in pressure on services as we're well aware if this

8:17war continues, if what's happening in the Middle East continues to happen gone forward, it's not helping the situation. And it's actually putting more pressure under government as well, which is something we have to keep at rest and keep keep review on us and see what can be done to support the people who unfortunately is suffering because of what's happening in the Middle East. Yeah, because you know, Simon Harris says the government wants to provide some degree of clarity and certainty and energy cost, but really how can you do that? Why should motorists believe you can give them certainty when the government itself says it doesn't know what global oil prices will be? I mean, how can the Tarnished Realistically say the government can provide some degree of clarity and certainty on energy costs? Well, really we can't in fairness and that's definitely and you saw yourself we we called it all back a couple of weeks ago to keep the supports in place, to support the people of the country which they increase costs of petrol and diesel gone forward.

9:19That needs to be called so we can't really put self to say and we've seen no other prices even have gone in the couple of short weeks. What the price of diesel and petrol is going to just as one thing alone, but that's kind of so it's certainly is not certainly is not there at the moment, Ellen and my believe is won't be there in the future gone forward, but again we have to work with what we have on the table and see how we can help and support gone forward. Yeah, you say we have to work what we have on the table, but is there an element of fuel hardiness in you know, promising things further down the road when you don't know what will be on the table further down the road? We know how how important to the X-Shacker Corporation tax receipts are. Is there an element of irresponsibility to be making four-year tax cut commitments when a significant portion of the state's revenues dependent on a relatively small number of multinational companies and whatever with what's happening in the Middle East? Who knows how they could be dented and to what degree in two, three, four years time? Well, as you said, state's revenue is very important. As I said,

10:24certainty is not there at the moment. We would I be hoping teams will improve. But with certain deal not there at the moment, does that mean it is risky to be saying that the point at which people pay the higher rate of income tax is going to be raised every year for the next four years? We don't even know what things we like in six months time never mind four years down the road. Yes, it is risky. We have to think that families at the moment are struggling at the moment. What about those families? We have to think to those as well. And I do agree she is risky. We don't know must come to happen in six months or 12 months time or two or three years time. But we have to think to families without the struggling to survive. And I'm well aware that those families are coming into my own office. Some of them can't make the bills, the cost of formation, I live in issues like that. And we have to give that consideration as well and take that unbord. And I've said we just have to find what is a balance at the moment. We don't know of the things I want to get worse, I've improved. Time will tell that what the most important thing is try and

11:25support the people as good as possible in our country, the moment that side we can do at the moment was certainty is definitely not there. And there's revenues are required as well. But again, support and families, support and people just talk then is also important. Is what Simon Harris has promised here or what will be committed to a suggestion that the failure to adjust the income tax bans in last year's budget contribute contributed to increase support for fuel protesters? Is this promised partly in attempt to repair political damage caused by last year's budget? Look, we're all just behind for last year's budget. We've asked our opinion and I see where you're coming from, Alan, but I take notes it more important to maybe see what we can do in the borders under six of October. There was a lot of disappointment where, where, where the families out there struggling with child care, with schools, with bills, the whole house and see what can be done to try and help and support them

12:30under in the borders under six of October. It's not going to be easier and I don't think it's your gone forward. We don't know what the situation is going to be. But again, we can't leave this family's fogling on forward. If there's any support, we can give it to them as a government. If we can give it to them, we should definitely be trying to give it to them and hopefully with the courts in the income tax in the borders in this and a couple of weeks, I remember, would just around the corner that we'd be so support to draw families and to the people that this could be gone forward. Simon Harris says the 33% capital gains tax rate is objectively too high, Joe. Why is cutting tax on investment gains a priority when ordinary workers are struggling to afford homes and pay their bills? I mean, people listening would say, well, capital gains tax reduction, it's not the average worker who's going to benefit most from that. It's people who are already on substantial assets. Yes, the capital gains tax has been looked at and it's been spoke about. We don't know exactly what's going to be announced here. Yes, again, locals, there is

13:34as well people are fixing in the capital gains tax as well. Would you get it? I say, tax is important to under country. He has been saying that she's been looked at. Again, does not necessarily store as the gas what's happening there. So we just have to wear some seat. What do you, would you be in favor, Joe, of maybe looking at that again before the budget because you know, you would imagine people who are already on substantial assets don't really need as much help as the average worker and whatever would potentially be done on a reduction in the capital gains tax. If that's rolled back on or not proceeded with, maybe that gives a bit more wiggle room to help middle and lower income earners. Yes, we're looking at what's been saying the average worth of needs to be supported. Definitely needs to be helped. The capital gains tax may be something to could be reviewed in the future. What you're getting those kinds of there as well. But as I said, to get the proper balance here is what we're trying to achieve.

14:37It's not easy to get the proper balance. You have to try and keep everyone on side of this possible. But the most important thing is you try and support doors that most in need. And maybe that's something might be reviewed and looked at again gone forward. Finne Gayle says people should benefit from the strength of the economy. We hear regularly enough how well Ireland is doing. But after years in government, why do so many people still feel that economic growth isn't translating to an affordable quality of life? And I guess there's a trick you can see a direct line between that and opinion polls. I mean, the latest Sunday in Doe Ireland Things poll put you in second on 19% behind Sinn Fein on 21% Finafall two further back from you on 17. Are the warning signs in that? Should you be reading the tea leaves for your party going forward? Locke, there is concern and we are not in the middle east is not helping our situation at the moment. Does a lot of good things happen in the country? Does a lot of

15:41cases in the country? A lot of good things happen in the country. 63% of those surveys said they disapprove of how the government is doing its job. That's compared to just 29% who approve. If you think there's a lot of good happening, why do you think the government is actually struggling to convince people that it's delivering to get that message across in a convincing manner? Because I'm as said at the last year, the cost of living is gone crazy and the last bit of outside of control of the government. But the government have tried to walk to seek and to support these people. There's been effective by choices outside of our country. What's happening in the world and that's not happening to situation and that's why we need to work to try and support the people. There's been effective by what's happening in the middle east and other parts of the world don't functionally. Okay, look, we do have to leave that one there. But for the moment, Joe, thanks for joining us on Morning Focus. No problem, Ellen. Thank you.