Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I notice that Sinn Féin's proposals to generate extra income are to increase taxes significantly, particularly for those in work or who have family homes. It has also promised on the doorsteps to abolish water charges, the property tax and the universal social charge, USC. It is important that the stabilisation and growth in the economy, particularly in employment, that we have achieved, as a result of which we are able to borrow internationally at cheap rates compared to Germany, should continue. The more people who leave the social welfare system, return to work and pay initially a small amount of PRSI before paying more in taxation, the more there will be an easing in the social welfare budget. I hope this would allow us to invest more in returning people to work through education, training and work experience. This will enable us to secure and improve the position for those who are in receipt of social welfare payments. Importantly, we have been able to maintain core social welfare payments at a difficult time historically. We are moving away from that period, but we still do not know for certain what the economic outlook will be by October. The trends so far have been positive.

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