Irish Independent – Charlie Weston Personal Finance Editor – 05 March 2013 THOUSANDS more people will apply for debts to be written off under new personal insolvency rules than expected, new research has found. As many as 25,000 people will apply for personal insolvency debt deals. This prompted experts to conclude that the Government and...Read More

A trainee solicitor who claims a leading City law firm rejected her for a job because she was pregnant was criticised for leaving early when she went home at 6.30am after working all night, an employment tribunal heard on Friday. Katie Tantum, 33, the daughter of a former MI6 director, told senior lawyers at Travers...Read More

THE threat of a new bout of ‘blue flu’ is looming as talks on garda pay cuts reach breaking point. The garda unions are facing increasing demands from their members to consider the work-to-rule which could leave the State without police officers. While the representative associations might not sanction such a move it could be...Read More

HOMEOWNERS face the controversial prospect of paying for their water based on the size of their home, rather than their estimated usage. People with bigger houses face paying a higher temporary water charge than those with smaller homes from next year. The Irish Independent has now learnt an “assessed charge” – which will have to...Read More

The Court of Criminal Appeal has set aside a six-year sentence imposed on a Dublin businessman for failing to pay €1.6m in garlic import duty. However, Paul Begley from Rathcoole in Dublin remains in custody until next month, pending further submissions on an alternative sentence. The appeal court ruled the sentence imposed last March was not...Read More

THE importance of providing information to older people to ensure they are claiming and in receipt of their entitlements cannot be over-emphasised. That is according to Paul Woulfe, manager with the countywide Citizens’ Information Service, at the launch of a new information booklet for older people. “This publication, which has been updated to take into...Read More

A FORMER businessman’s “warring family” were exposed as he gave evidence against his brother and lifelong friend alleging that the three of them forged a bachelor’s will. Charlie O’Leary spent two-and-a-half days in the witness box at Wexford Circuit Court while his brother, William O’Leary, and once close friend, Noel Hayes, looked on. Noel Hayes,...Read More

Taxpayers have a little more time when it comes to submitting their Capital Gains Tax (CGT) assessments for 2012. By calculating any gains made in the current year, there is still time to reduce your tax bill by availing of valuable CGT reliefs or even selling assets which, if their sale were to generate tax...Read More

Land Registry Fees Order 2012Read More

PENSIONERS, parents and homeowners are targeted in a stinging new report by the IMF. The international monetary watchdog recommends a host of new taxes and cutbacks which would hurt ordinary households in the pocket. But Finance Minister Michael Noonan said he would not follow their recommendation to impose a penal property tax. Mr Noonan, who...Read More