Tax Reform

Politicians back calls for revamp of tax and welfare systems to tackle ‘significant future challenges’

The Commission on Taxation and Welfare’s report found pressure on long term fiscal sustainability, in particular from Ireland’s ageing demographic profile

Barry Cowen, the chair of the Budget Oversight committee, which has backed many of the reforms proposed by the Commission on Taxation and Welfare. Picture: Gareth Chaney

A significant group of politicians has backed reform of Ireland’s tax and welfare systems in a bid to address the “significant challenges” posed by issues such as an ageing population and climate change.

In a new report the Oireachtas Budget Oversight Committee broadly backed recommendations made by the Commission on Taxation and Welfare last year to widen the tax base and improve the welfare system.

In the report published today, the committee backed an urgent ...