ICTU urges Govt to remove lowest-paid from tax net

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has asked Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy to take those earning the minimum wage out of the tax net in his budget speech later today.

ICTU general secretary David Begg said this was one of the Government’s obligations under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness and could be easily done by widening tax bands.

The Conference of Religious in Ireland has also supported such a move, but it said other measures should be introduced to help those earning so little that they are already outside the tax net. CORI suggested that the Government could make tax credits refundable for the lowest income earners.

IBEC, the business employers’ body, wants the Government to maintain a “low-tax environment” for business and workers. It said this would keep the incentive to work high and, in turn, encourage businessmen to invest in Ireland.

The Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed is seeking a £14 rise in basic social welfare payouts.

The Irish Farmers Association wants a special tax incentive to encourage elderly landowners to lease their land to younger farmers.