Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 122: To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 80 of 14 December 2011, his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the universal social charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6331/12]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The position is as I stated on 14 December 2011 in reply to Parliamentary Question Number 80, that the Universal Social Charge (USC) does not apply to social welfare payments or payments of a similar nature made by any other state or territory.

However, occupational pensions are liable to the USC, if the payment is greater than the exemption limit, which from 1 January 2012 is €10,036 per annum.

Therefore, in this particular case the retired couple in question receives a higher proportion of their total income from occupational pension than the retired couple in the newspaper article and therefore pays more USC. In both cases the State Pensions are exempt from the USC.

As the Deputy is aware, the USC was reviewed by my Department in the lead up to Budget 2012 and the report can be obtain at www.finance.gov.ie