The chairman of the Small Firms Association has called on the Minster for Finance to reconsider his decision to increase corporate taxes, and dubbed Mr McCreevy’s last Budget "insane."
|
Mr Kieran Crowley said the SFA had been able to create 600,000 jobs in the last six or seven years and called on the Government to stand firm on its policy of moderating tax on business and employers to allow that progress continue.
He was speaking to a gathering of 1,200 business and community leaders at the annual lunch of the Small Firms Association (SFA) in Dublin this afternoon.
The chief executive of Allied Irish Banks, Mr Michael Buckley predicted Ireland could continue to enjoy "growth rates of twice or more the European average provided it continues to manage its affairs well".
He said demographic factors resulting from "good long-term policies" implemented over the last 15 years, would allow for the generation of sufficient resources for good public services with relatively low taxes for the next 10 to 15 years.
Mr Buckley said the reduction in the national debt and an unemployment rate half that of the European average were two of the reasons for his optimism.
Cardinal Desmond Connell paid tribute to the people responsible for turning Ireland’s economy around and rescuing it from the clutches of bankruptcy.
He warned the business community, however, not to lose sight of the values of morality and integrity.
Cardinal Connell said the success of the economy was "a great tribute" to the successive governments, trade unions, employers and workers who engaged in the partnership programmes.
He said there was a right to be "justly proud" of this achievement, which had reversed the "scourge of emigration and the ravages of unemployment".
But he warned "people demean their dignity when they measure the value of what they do by the measuring stick of money".