Half would pay more tax for better public services, opinion poll shows

Half of people surveyed would pay more tax if the money was guaranteed to be spent on better public services, a new opinion poll has revealed.

The findings come as the Coalition is divided on whether to use improving economic conditions to reduce the top rate of tax as Fine Gael favours, or cut the universal social charge, as Labour prefers.

More than eight in 10 people, 83%, also believe income is unfairly distributed, according to the Behaviour and Attitudes survey which was commissioned by the Think-tank for Action on Social Change.