Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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176. To ask the Minister for Finance if the additional 3% universal social charge paid by self-employed persons earning over €100,000 expires at the end of 2015; if the budgetary projection for 2016, published in the stability programme update, takes account of this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29806/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The additional 3% Universal Social Charge paid by self-employed persons earning over €100,000 is provided for in subsection 2 of section 531AN, of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. This legislation was introduced in Finance Act 2011, and at that time included a provision that the measure would cease to have effect for the tax year 2015 and subsequent years. The USC provisions in Section 531AN have been amended in subsequent Finance Acts.

The additional 3% USC charge on relevant income in excess of €100,000 was extended in Finance Act 2014 as part of the overall tax package and no expiry date was included in those provisions.  As the Deputy is aware, all income tax and USC elements of the income tax system are considered as part of the annual Budget and Finance Bill process.

The budgetary projection for 2016 published in the Stability Programme Update takes account of all previous budgetary decisions, and therefore includes the additional 3% Universal Social Charge payable by self-employed persons.