Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Ar an gcéad dul síos, on behalf of the Rural Independents I wish a speedy recovery to an Teachta McDonald.

I challenge the Taoiseach about the possibility of abolishing the USC. It is worth remembering that at the height of the Celtic tiger in 2006 the Exchequer was awash with property-based tax receipts and the then Government reported a budget surplus of €5.1 billion. We have stories today of the surplus possibly reaching €22.5 billion by 2024 and 2025. Sadly, there is little trust in the Government's ability to make wise decisions regarding these substantial funds. It is highly likely that these record tax receipts will be squandered. It is time that we do something for the individuals throughout the country who have made such efforts by considering the abolition of the USC.

I remind the Taoiseach of a Fine Gael manifesto which boldly stated that the party would abolish the USC. That was not today or yesterday, and Fine Gael has reneged on that promise totally. The manifesto in question was issued was prior to the 2016 general election. It is time for the Government to abolish this inherently unfair tax, which is imposed on a person's total income without many of the exemptions available with income tax. It is an inherently unfair tax. Everybody knows that. The rates range from less than 2% for income up to €23,000 to 4.5% for income up to between €23,000 and €70,000 and 8% on income above €70,000. For instance, a constituent in Tipperary earning €50,000 a year will pay €1,497 in 2023. A self-employed constituent with an income of €100,000 will pay €4,795 via the USC in 2023. I call on the Taoiseach to honour previous commitments and promises and utilise the record tax revenues to provide ordinary workers with relief by abolishing the USC.

They deserve this. They have put their shoulder to the wheel. We see people outside the House today from the early childcare sector and we saw people last year from nursing homes. Across the whole of society people are struggling. We saw the Government introduce little incentives to help them with the cost of energy. They really need a break from this punitive tax that was meant to be a temporary measure. Fine Gael, in a blaze of glory, promised it would be abolished before the 2016 election. It is time to honour its promises, or do election promises mean anything? The public are well aware of this now and they see. I challenge the Taoiseach, his Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, the Minister for Finance and his coalition partners to get rid of this punitive tax. People are dizzy from listening to all the figures of windfall tax from corporations and so on. The Government must look after na daoine beaga, the ordinary people who carry the can and are sick and tired of scandals such as the hurricane blowing across our public service today. Many good people work in RTÉ and across the public service and all walks of life. They are tired of the Government's promises and empty rhetoric. They are tired to listening to all this talk about massive windfalls as they still struggle.

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