Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Let me finish. Sinn Féin has been speaking about this. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin was on Newstalk this morning talking about it. The bottom line is that we should deal with the facts. The USC was effectively brought in as an economic wartime tax. Ordinary people on a relatively low income are paying the charge. If I earn above €12,012, I must pay the charge. I do not understand how Sinn Féin can stand over the retention of the charge. It hits the family with young children and the young person going out to work. Everyone in these categories wants to see the universal social charge gone. It was brought in as an economic wartime measure and we are seeking to phase it out. I am trying to wrack my brain logically to discover why Sinn Féin is seeking to retain the universal social charge.