Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)

Amendment No. 4 concerns refundable tax credits. According to the CSO 6% of those in employment are experiencing poverty. A refundable tax credit would allow low income workers who do not earn enough to use their full credits to have the unused portion refunded. This would essentially be a cash payment to those who are already dealing with low pay to ensure they do not miss out on the benefits of tax credits. This would help a lot of people who are on very low incomes who are working and struggling, especially given the withdrawal of the energy credits and the failure to replace them with enough targeted measures. That section of people who are working but who are on very low incomes and are finding it hard to get by would be helped by a measure like this. Social Justice Ireland has long put forward the case for it. It is equitable and based around the philosophy that work should pay, which I am sure the Minister agrees with. I am sure it was not the intention but the evidence shows in previous budgets – there is a strong case, of course, for doing indexation – that low paid workers have missed out compared with high paid workers. A measure like this is targeted and aimed at those who need additional support and should be getting it. It would be better if we could get low paid workers into better paid employment and get their wages up, but that is going to take time. While that is happening a measure like this would really help and support them. It needs to be looked at and I ask that the Minister do that.