Highest earners to be spared

THE lowest paid workers in the country will be asked to pay a greater portion of the tax revenue after December’s budget but the highest earners are set to be spared a significant hit.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan said half of all those in employment pay no tax at all. And this has to change, he said, because there was little scope to raise taxes in other areas.

Mr Lenihan told the Dáil although these people are in the lowest wage categories and do contribute through the income levies the recession meant they would now have to be brought into the income tax net.