Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

This Minister is not for tweaking and I have to perform major surgery all the time.

On the question about the cost of the levy to a public servant earning €18,300 a year, if I were to accept one of the amendments which simply provided for an exemption under that level, it would increase the step effect at €18,300 to include not just the PRSI and the income tax but the pension contribution. That in itself would be a substantial disincentive to work at that income level.

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