Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

In light of the fact that value added tax is a fundamentally regressive tax, will the Minister in the course of his review consider the possibilities of reducing VAT in a number of areas in order to relieve the burden on low income families in particular? What is the Minister's reaction to the proposal by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions that in order to combat the pressures on workers of cost of living increases, particularly since the advent of Towards 2016, the Government should reduce the rate of VAT from its current level of 21%, which is the second highest indirect tax in Europe?

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