Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Sinn Féin must not have read the actual section of the Bill. The section basically takes people on lower income, earning between €18,772 and €19,372, out of the USC net. I thought Sinn Féin purported to represent the small man, the person that is under pressure. The income tax take has doubled since 2011. Ordinary people who are looking to rear their children and pay a mortgage need a break. There is extra money going into the economy through capital investment. They are not mutually exclusive. We cannot have a situation where we are taxing people to the hilt. Someone earning below the average industrial wage is now paying nearly 50% of the extra euro they earn.We cannot burden people to the extent that they cannot function.