Eamon Lawless, single, clerical assistant with the Revenue Commissioners.
PRE BUDGET concerns: There's definitely a boom on, but it's not reaching down line to the lower paid. Clerical assistants are paid very badly: £9,000 a year rising to a maximum of £12,500 after 12 years' service. Some married colleagues are being so badly paid that they get the Family Income Supplement. There should be an increase in tax free allowances, and an increase in personal allowances, and a widening of the tax bands. Instant reaction: I've just worked it out - I'll be better off to the tune of £2.42 a week. I'm very disappointed. The PRSI reduction doesn't apply to us because as civil servants we pay a lower rate and get lower benefits.
When I heard that there was going to be a giveaway budget, I expected six or seven quid extra a week, then I thought well, I'd be happy enough with £5 more a week.
But this is really too low - £2.42 - we won't be going wild on that.
I'm certainly happy that the standard rate of tax has been reduced from 27 to 26 per cent, and I'm glad that the bands have been widened and that the personal allowance has been increased before tax is deducted, but when you work it out it just doesn't add up to that much.
Really, I expected better from the Government.