Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 149: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance his views regarding the impact of an expansion of low paid employment on income tax receipts. [29628/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Income tax receipts in the ten months to October, at €10,322m were 12.5% above the same period last year and €296m above profile.

In Budget 2006 I took the minimum wage out of the tax net and in Budget 2007 I maintained the position that a PAYE worker earning the minimum wage in its annualised form pays no tax or PRSI and keeps 100% of what he or she earns.

The Agreed Programme for Government proposed to use tax credits and bands to keep low-income earners out of the standard rate band and average earners out of the higher band, subject to the controlling economic and fiscal framework.