Working families in 2008 Budget

THE Irish Congress of Trade Unions has focused its pre-Budget submission for 2008 on the proper support of the working family.

Its submission lays down a number of measures which focus on making pay packets go further such as increasing individuals’ personal tax credit by €100 and employees’ tax credit by €350 and an increase in the standard tax band by €4,000.

It also wants the ceiling on pension contributions to be reduced to €30,000 “for reasons of equity and to reduce tax avoidance by high-income earners”.