Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)

The Minister has confirmed this is dealt with as a levy. The Minister himself referred to the lower income paid. The point being made is that the figure of €18,304 was picked because it is the exemption ceiling for PRSI. If someone is on €353 a week rather than €352 a week, that person will pay an extra €600 overall in levies per year. The simple overall point we are making is that the Government should be ensuring this measure is progressive. However, this means that if one earns an extra €1 per week, one will pay an extra €600 overall in levies per year, which is fundamentally flawed.

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