GMIT Business students prizewinners in Irish Tax Institute competition

Four final year GMIT Business students have scooped a top prize in this year’s Irish Tax Institute, Fantasy Budget competition.

Gary Browne from Loughrea, Darren Boyle from Claremorris, Shane Flynn  from Castlebar and John Lydon from Clonbur, are all in the final year of the Bachelor of Business (Hons) degree in Finance & Economies,  at GMIT’s Galway campus.

Over 600 competitors entered the Irish Tax Institute Fantasy Budget competition this year. The high profile contest is open to undergraduate students in all universities and Institutes of Technology. The entrants were required to analyse the budget as announced on 11 October 2016 by the Minister for Finance Michael Noonan. The teams had to critically analyse budgetary measures that impacted the individual/family, indigenous Irish business and foreign direct investment into Ireland. Students were also encouraged to use their creativity in devising their own measure that they would have introduced if they were the Finance Minister.

The GMIT students together with students from UCD and NUI Maynooth were selected prize-winners. The judging panel which included leading economists and business analysts commended the students on their critical thinking, in-depth analysis and awareness of the likely impact of Budget 2017 initiatives in promoting economic growth, whilst raising the necessary tax revenue. 

Lecturer Patricia McCann, who has expressed her immense pride in her students, says: “This prestigious award reflects the students’ hard work, perseverance and dedication to success. They have applied their knowledge of academic theory to real-life professional experiences necessary for students to succeed in and out of the classroom. All of us in the School of Business are delighted with their achievement, they are a joy and a privilege to work with and we wish them every success.”

For further information on the Bachelor of Business in Finance & Economics programme, see:
http://www.gmit.ie/business/bachelor-business-honours-finance-economics