Abolishing the universal social charge (USC) would be more “fiscally irresponsible” than getting rid of water charges, according to the leader of Fianna Fáil.

Cuts to the Universal Social Charge in next month's budget won't be as dramatic as promised in the general election.

The Government has been warned it may have to increase property tax by 600% if it decides to scrap USC.

Fine Gael is pushing for a one percentage point reduction to the Universal Social Charge in next October’s budget in talks with Independents as part of government formation talks.

Plans to abolish the universal social charge will have to be delayed or abandoned to fund changes to Irish Water, it has emerged.

The International Monetary Fund has warned that Ireland must maintain fiscal discipline.

The Taoiseach Enda Kenny has again said Fine Gael plans to phase out the Universal Social Charge, despite the Finance Minister Michael Noonan appearing to claim otherwise.

Michael Noonan has said higher earners will be hit by new levies so they will not enjoy the full benefit of scrapping USC.

Fianna Fáil says it would abolish the 1% Universal Social Charge rate in its first budget after the election.

A series of cuts to the Universal Social Charge and a tax credit for the self employed are some of the main measures announced so far in Budget 2016.

The promises of the 2011 election were universally broken, so we should be sceptical about claims that the universal social charge will be cut and the social welfare Christmas bonus and carer grant will be restored, says Political Reporter Juno McEnroe

The group representing restaurant owners want to see reforms to the Universal Social Charge instead of an increase to the minimum wage.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has said that he plans to cut the Universal Social Charge by 1%, if not more, in the next Budget.

It has reported today that ESB employees do not have to pay the universal social charge on their company shares under an agreement with the Government.

The Finance Minister Michael Noonan has signalled another cut in the Universal Social Charge in the next Budget.

The State would lose out on at least €1.6bn in revenue if it cut the deeply unpopular universal social charge for people earning €60,000 or less a year.

The Tánaiste Joan Burton has said a reform programme is the way to deal with the Universal Social Charge.

Some of the money raised from the Universal Social Charge should be used to boost people’s pension pay- outs, Tánaiste Joan Burton has said, in an attempt to try and make the tax less toxic to voters.

In the jaundiced eyes of punters pummelled by a succession of tax hikes, the Universal Social Charge is without a shadow of doubt Ireland’s most hated and most politically toxic tax.

Some 360,000 pensioners and medical card holders will face a hike in their Universal Social Charge from the start of next year.

Potential tax changes will make those on lucrative salaries almost €1,000 richer every year, while doing “nothing” for people on low incomes.

Middle-income earners should benefit from a triple top-up in their pay package with a recovery surfacing in the economy, a senior minister has suggested.

The Taoiseach said he does not accept that health premiums will cost €1,600 per person per year when premiums become mandatory by 2019.

A group of entrepreneurs says a dramatic cut in income tax should be part of Ireland's long-term strategy to attract business.