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Irish Times
30 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Met Éireann spends almost €500,000 on planning consultants in 18 months
Met Éireann has spent almost €500,000 on private planning consultants in the last 18 months, new figures show. Engineering consultancy company O'Connor Sutton Cronin (OCSC) was paid a total of €475,671 after the start of 2024 to advise on the expansion of the State's weather radar network. It is the largest spend on a single planning consultancy company by the Department of Housing , which oversees Met Éireann, over the last five years. The figures, released in response to a parliamentary question by Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould , also show the department spent more than €1.4 million on private planning consultants since 2020. READ MORE The highest amount was spent last year, €450,937, with the bulk of this made up by €336,934 which went to OCSC. A further €138,737 was paid to the company earlier this year. Met Éireann said it appointed OCSC to 'provide consultative expertise for the preliminary design and planning phase of a programme to expand the current weather radar network for Ireland'. The company provides expertise from various professionals including a project director, architect, civil engineer, structural engineer, mechanical and electrical engineer, quantity surveyor, environmental officer, planner, archaeologist and fire and safety officer. Met Éireann said the expansion project will see the number of radars across the country increase from two to seven, and represents a 'significant infrastructural and scientific investment'. It is likely another huge spend will be paid out this year — Thomas Gould, Sinn Féin TD The expanded network is needed 'to ensure optimal rainfall monitoring coverage and improving the detection of severe rainfall events that are expected to become more frequent in a warming climate', the forecaster said. The project is still in a development phase and no new equipment has been bought with this money. Met Éireann could not say how much would be spent on the project in total. The next highest spend on one single planning consultant by the department was €110,467 with Brendan McGrath and Associates, an urban and rural planning consultant based in Co Clare. [ Why is it so warm this week in Ireland? Opens in new window ] The third highest spend was €110,103 with Tobin Consulting Engineers in 2020. Corresponding procurement logs show this related to a report on the rural water sector. Commenting on the figures, Mr Gould said it showed the State was 'wasting our money and failing to provide real decent jobs'. He said additional staff should be recruited to carry out such work rather than paying for private firms, the cost of which 'has increased substantially from under €60,000 in 2019 to almost €500,000 last year". He added: 'Given that we are just over halfway through 2025 and a quarter of a million has been spent, it is likely another huge spend will be paid out this year.' He called on the Minister to publish a value-for-money assessment of the use of private firms and a full list of the work they have undertaken. Mr Gould said: 'I am sick of seeing money wasted in the middle of a housing crisis and spent on everything except building the homes that people so desperately need.'
Irish Times
31 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Pensioners do not need to panic over Revenue letter about owed tax
' Revenue is chasing tens of thousands of pensioners over owed tax,' the headline read in words that could cause some upset. But, for those who got letters from Revenue in recent weeks, the truth is nowhere near as alarming. Yes, the Revenue Commissioners did send letters out to 68,000 people over the age of 65 about their 2022 tax affairs, but that was part of a larger exercise in which a total of nearly 270,000 'reminders' were sent to people as Revenue looks to close off files for the 2022 tax year, not a targeting of pensioners. And, as Revenue has been keen to point out, the letters were reminders, not tax demands. The tax officials are clearly treading careful after a furore over what it later admitted were insensitive letters were sent to around 115,000 pensioners back in 2012. It is not quite clear why there has been no such campaign in the intervening decade, but we are where we are. READ MORE However, if you have received one of these letters, it is quite likely that you could have some income tax owing for that year. And, indeed, for the years between then and now as well. So, how has it happened and what do you need to do? Sticking with pensioners, the reason people might find themselves with a tax bill is down to their sources of income. The Department of Social Protection pays the State pension with no tax deductions as that income is comfortably below the threshold at which you would be liable for income tax. The income tax threshold for a single or widowed person over the age of 65 is currently €18,000 – and double that, €36,000, for a couple. The maximum income under the State pension – including the Christmas bonus week - is €15,333. But if you also have a private pension from your former workplace, it is almost certain that you will be liable for tax. Most people know this, to be fair, and pay the tax on the occupational pension – either at source through PAYE or by filing a return. The issue is that they sometimes forget that once their income is over the exemption limit, all of that income is liable for tax – the untaxed State pension as well as the occupational pension. Other income is also taxed. Most people are aware that any rental income they receive for a property they let out is taxable – once it is over the rent-a-room limit of €14,000 – but many might not return any income from share dividends, for instance, for tax. Let's stick with the state pension for now. Back in 2022, this was paid at a maximum rate of €253.30 a week, or €13,424.90 for the year. If your overall income means it is liable for the standard 20 per cent rate of income tax, you will owe the Revenue €2,685. The good news is that there will be no reckoning for universal social charge (USC) or PRSI . Neither is levied on social welfare payments regardless of overall income. In any case, people are no longer liable for PRSI on any income once they turn 66. However, if your 'other income' is not a social welfare payment, USC might still be an issue. In 2022, it was levied at 0.5 per cent up to €12,012, at 2 per cent from there up to €21,295 and 4.5 per cent on anything over that – at least up to €70,044. So what do you have to do now? I would suggest that regardless of whether you do have tax due on your state pension or other income, you should file a return for 2022 now, if you have not already done so. Given that Revenue believes tax may be due, it seems sensible to assume that the people in receipt of letters are already paying tax – either by filing a Form 12 tax return through Revenue's MyAccount online service or, through its ROS service for those filing Form 11 returns in relation to income from self-employment. I'll assume those most discomfited by these letters are less sophisticated taxpayers so we will work through the MyAccount process. First up, log in to your Revenue account using your PPS number, your date of birth and the password you created when the account was set up. Revenue will then send a single-use verification code to your phone. Input this and then go to PAYE Services, generally the first (blue) box on the page that opens when you log in. Next, click on: 'Review your tax for the previous 4 years', then select 2022 from the drop down menu and click on 'Request' to get your preliminary end of year statement. This should give you an assessment of what Revenue thinks you have received in income and have paid to date in tax, together with any tax it considers remains outstanding. As the Department of Social Protection talks to Revenue, it should income your state pension income. The next step is to complete an income tax return, especially if there are outstanding tax credits that you have not claimed – for things like medical expenses, mortgage interest, rent etc. These may go some way to mitigate any outstanding tax bill. The online system takes you through the form step by step and there are guidance notes to help you on your way. Once you are happy it is completed, you submit it. If you have previously submitted a return that needs to be amended in light of the Revenue letters, you can do so by selecting the year in question – 2022 in this case – and then clicking 'Amend' next to your annual return. The main thing is not to get too worried about any outstanding liability, but also do not hide your head in the sand. Revenue has said in its letters that even where there has been an underpayment, no money will be due immediately – although if you have it, you might wish to get it done and dusted immediately. For those whose financial wriggle room in retirement is tight, Revenue says it will adjust any credits you are due going forward to retrieve any money owed. Of course that will reduce your income so it is not a painless exercise. And, once you have 2022 out of the way, you can expect to have to go through a similar exercise for the subsequent years. The bottom line is that no one should panic at receiving one of these letters, but you do need to engage with them. If money is owing, you are always better going to Revenue than to have them coming to you. You can contact us at OnTheMoney@ with personal finance questions you would like to see us address. If you missed last week's newsletter, you can read it here .
Irish Times
31 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Bagel Shop by Artybaker review: This authentically French Kimmage bakery offers the best bagels in Dublin
What's on offer? Bagel Shop by Artybaker is owned by Romain Tessier, a French baker originally trained in the Loire Valley, and his wife Suzanne Hodgkinson. It opened in Sandycove in 2021 and now has six locations across Dublin , including Kimmage , Sandymount , Dalkey , Bath Avenue, Grand Canal Dart , and Blackrock Market. Tessier applies traditional French baking techniques to a small-batch, high-quality model. Croissants are made over three days, with long fermentations and careful lamination. The bagels follow a similar principle – boiled, well-glazed and baked for texture – and are offered plain, sesame, jalapeño or everything. Pastries are a major strength, including a Swiss roll with vanilla custard and chocolate, and a honey and sea salt croissant. All products are made from scratch with an emphasis on timing, fermentation and consistency. Artybaker now employs 30 people and produces everything in-house using time-honoured methods. The bagels, in particular, are widely regarded as among the best in the city. What did we order? Turkey club bagel sandwich (sesame), pastrami bagel sandwich (jalapeño & cheddar), veggie bagel sandwich (everything) and lox bagel sandwich (plain). READ MORE How was the service? Very pleasant. You wait your turn and order at the counter. Was the food nice? The pastrami bagel with jalapeño and cheddar was the standout. The bagel had a good glaze and proper chew. The cheese had melted, although Swiss cheese would be preferable to cheddar. The filling was generous: pastrami, cheddar, pickled cucumber, iceberg lettuce and a tangy mustard-based sauce with noticeable acidity. Flavours were sharp and well balanced. The turkey club on a sesame bagel was my least favourite. It came loaded with good quality turkey, grilled bacon, tomato, Swiss cheese, and mayonnaise. I found it a little bit bland, but my wingman ranked it top. The lox on a plain bagel was a classic salmon and cream cheese bagel with red onion, cucumber and capers. The salmon was farmed, which is to be expected. It was good quality and firm. The veggie on everything bagel was slathered in cream cheese and stuffed with avocado, tomato, cucumber, coleslaw, iceberg lettuce, capers and dill. The avocado was properly ripe and the overall mix was fresh and balanced. A strong vegetarian option. What about the packaging? Bagels are packed in pretty pink and white striped bags, wrapped in recyclable paper. What did it cost? €43.50 for lunch for four people: turkey bagel sandwich, €10.50; pastrami bagel sandwich, €10.50; veggie bagel sandwich, €10.50; and lox bagel sandwich, €12. Where does it deliver? The Kimmage store opens 7.30am – 3pm. There is no delivery, it is takeaway only. Would I order it again? Yes, these are the best bagels you'll get. They're on the expensive side, but they make for a very good lunch.
