Rise in threshold for higher income tax rate - Harris

Tánaiste and Minister for Finance Simon Harris announced his commitment to increasing the threshold for higher income tax rates over the next four budgets, during a Fine Gael Parliamentary Party meeting in Gorey, County Wexford. In his speech titled "Turning Economic Strength into Everyday Security," Mr. Harris outlined his intention to anchor tax policy for four years, aiming to provide certainty to workers, households, and businesses.

Harris pledged to raise the threshold for higher income tax rates in Budget 2027, signaling the beginning of a trajectory of tax cuts. He emphasized the need to anchor tax policy to give people assurance that work always pays, and that hard work will reap benefits in their take-home pay. The Fine Gael leader also stated that taxpayers should be able to live in Ireland with a sense of security, while reducing the burden of income tax and supporting families with more affordable childcare.

In addition to tax policy, Harris focused on addressing crime, reaffirming Fine Gael's commitment to law and order. He stated that the government's primary duty is to protect citizens and ensure safer streets, stronger communities, and a justice system that meets the demands of a growing population. Harris also noted that the government must expand garda numbers, prison capacity, and the wider justice system to accommodate Ireland's expanding population.