Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like a debate in the next week or ten days with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, on the job creation measures in the budget. All fair-minded people would accept that this budget very much targets job creation and work and attempts to make work pay.

I very much welcome the fact that the universal social charge has been reduced from 7% to 5.5% on earnings between €18,000 and €70,000. This will make a very significant difference to people at work, who have borne the brunt of the cuts and hardship over recent years.

Yesterday, after the budget statement, we noted for the first time in five years a real sense of hope and real concentration on driving the economy forward now that we have exited the bailout and are in a position to start repaying our debts. I very much welcome the fact that the self-employed are at last being respected and treated fairly in this budget. The introduction of the tax credit of €550 for self-employed workers and farmers is very much to be welcomed. It is a start. I hope we will see the self-employed gaining equality in forthcoming budgets.

The transportation sector, which creates very significant employment, got significant relief in the budget with the capping of the tax on transport vehicles at €900 per annum, bringing the rate into line with that in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. I hope we will now see many of the companies that have registered in Northern Ireland registering in the Republic and bringing in much-needed revenue.