Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

While amendment No. 5 has been ruled out of order, there is no doubt about the need for a self-employed tax credit and an equalisation of the tax credits a self-employed person experiences with those experienced by an employed person. That is why we took that step in our alternative budget. The problem I have is that after €100,000, a person is earning €1,900 per week and a tax credit can be seen to a certain extent as a subsidy. While the subsidy is logical for those on lower incomes to help them meet the challenges of life, a subsidy to a person earning €1,900 per week does not make sense. We simply believe that the tax credit should be reduced in a tapered fashion after €80,000. That is why we sought to insert that. There is no major pressure on the State to provide these tax credits or reductions to those on very high incomes. When it does, it costs elsewhere. It is a cost to significant sections of society. As I said earlier, it affects the very ability of people to survive in health, welfare and housing. That is our difficulty with the section.