Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is true to say that it is a slightly preferential system for those aged 65 and over but the extent of the preferential treatment is declining over time because the thresholds have not been increased. That is an important point to put on the record. Pensioners do pay tax. They pay the universal social charge and will have benefitted from the reduction in it. Others who would pay income tax under the normal system would potentially have benefitted from the increase in the entry point to the higher rate as well. I will not press the issue but it is something of which to be conscious. It is an element of the income tax code that relates to a cohort of people aged 65 and over. There has been no change whatsoever in recent years. Many of them are very aware of the issue and have raised it and it is should be examined in future budgets.

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