Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will focus on a group of people who work day after day and at the end of the week and month still find it hard, despite that modest, reasonably decent pay cheque, and struggle to make ends meet. They are not looking for benefits. Often, they are not eligible for them. They are keen to hold on to a reasonable portion, and more, of their hard-earned pay. Economists might know them as the middle four deciles; whatever level we put on them, they are people with modest incomes who work and are keen to spend on their families and to hold onto their income. The USC is a big deal for many. The 1% change to 3% is helpful to these people. It is meaningful income at the end of the week and month. We would love for it to be more. I want to get a handle on how practical that is and what it would cost to give further space and would it not be wonderful to do away with it? What would be the euro value of doing away with the USC and how practical is it? It sounds popular but can we put euro values on it to define it?

Tá brú mór ar an dream seo, daoine atá ag obair go laethúil, agus arís gach seachtain, ag deireadh na seachtaine nó na míosa, go bhfuil sé deacair orthu na billí a íoc in ainneoin go bhfuil tuarastal réasúnta acu. Tar éis seachtaine nó lá fada a chur díobh, tá an cháin tar éis an tuarastal sin a chreimeadh agus tá brú orthu. Mar sin, tá an USC an-tábhachtach dóibh. Is cabhair mhór í go bhfuil an 1% á bhaint anuas. Ba mhaith liom go bhféadfaimis dul níos sia leis sin agus teastaíonn uaim a fháil amach ón Aire cé chomh praiticiúil agus cén costas a bheadh ann chun breis USC a bhaint anuas ón dream sin sa lár, daoine atá ar phá réasúnta agus go bhfuil deacracht acu gach seachtain a mbillí a íoc.

This section also relates to income taxes and a reduction in the income taxes is definitely something that would benefit the very same group of people, as would the changing of the bands and the relief on it. If they are not changed each year, it means people are falling behind. They may be fortunate enough to get a pay rise. What examination has been conducted into index linking the reliefs and the bands for people on modest incomes so that they can hold on to an additional part of their pay packet each week and month?

There is one other area I would like to inquire about, which is inheritance tax. I am not entirely sure if that is appropriate to this section but inheritance tax and the changes that were made, particularly to the group A, helped a particular group of people. I want to draw the attention of the Minister to couples who do not and are not fortunate enough, or choose not, to have children of their own. Their families want to pass on to those families part of what they have hard earned and paid tax on along the way. People inheriting in this case would not be able to avail of the group A tax band similar to the way in which a son or daughter can. What examination has been conducted in respect of those families and the opportunities that might be there for them also with regard to inheritance tax?

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