Senior sources said they did not think it was the time to increase excise on the so-called “old reliables” of alcohol or cigarettes amid concerns about increasing the burden on consumers, the Irish Times said.
There has been a conversation around whether the Government has “hit the ceiling” on hiking the price of tobacco, with increases of 50 cent on a 20 pack of cigarettes implemented in each of the last seven budgets.
One figure said that if a public-health rationale is put forward for increasing the price of a pack of cigarettes, that will be considered, but an increase to excise on alcohol is viewed as highly unlikely.
Ministers are also working on a package of tax changes for businesses, including improvements on the capital gains tax entrepreneur relief, a review of the Keep share option scheme and potential movement on the research and development tax credit.
A rainy-day fund will likely be reintroduced next year, with a proportion of next year’s projected exchequer surplus forecast to go into this.
