Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Like all the people of Waterford, I received a flimsy leaflet through my letter box from Sinn Féin about income tax. It was the usual populist poppycock. It referred to taxing the wealthy and said Fine Gael and the Labour Party were giving tax relief to the wealthy. It comes back to the reply of the Minister of State. People on the higher end of the lower income tax bracket, at €33,800, are classified as wealthy. This includes gardaí, nurses and public servants. As far as Sinn Féin is concerned, these people are wealthy. We make no apology for assisting and reducing income tax for people at that level. I have heard from graduates abroad who want to come back to Ireland but ask what is the point in coming back when they will pay the top rate of tax at €32,800, as was the case before the budget. Thankfully, as a result of the measures in this Finance Bill, this has been increased to €33,800. I hope there will be a progression in future budgets so that we will see it raised a lot more before people pay the higher rate of tax. The Minister of State pointed out that young people and others want the tax burden reduced and they want the extra few bob in their pocket. Whether this refers to the universal social charge or income tax, they do not care how it is achieved as long as they get the extra few bob in their pockets.

People must get into their minds that, on the whole point of taxing the wealthy, Sinn Féin in particular believes that people who pay tax at the top rate - those who earn more than €33,800 - are the wealthy. These are the people Sinn Féin will go after in the future.