Supporting the rich and hurting the vulnerable

MICHAEL McCarthy (Letters, Dec 3) states that “public service employees are not being asked to contribute on the same scale as the rest of us” to “the bailout”.

In this he is totally correct, they are being asked to contribute far more.

Non-public servants have seen services cut, the introduction of the universal social charge, changes in tax bands, increases in vat rates and a host of flat rate stealth taxes introduced.

Public service workers have had to deal with all of these in addition to contributing in the form of multiple pay cuts and levies which have seen their salaries slashed.

Mr McCarthy is also spot-on when he states that we must “get all to contribute, according to their means”. The flat rate taxes and cuts in services introduced in the budget impact disproportionately on the lower paid. A progressive tax system where those who earn most pay most is by far a much fairer system. Ireland has one of the lowest tax takes in the EU.

If my income tax was increased in order to protect the less well-off in society I would not object. The mantra from our government, however, seems to be to protect the rich and attack the vulnerable.

Kevin P McCarthy

Killarney

Co Kerry