January payslips show cut in USC five years after FF introduced it – Harris

“On 27^th January 2011, Fianna Fáil’s Finance Bill introduced the USC, taking a large chunk from the pay packets of workers across the country. Five years later, people opening their January payslips can expect more money in their accounts due to a cut to USC”, says Minister of State at the Department of Finance and Fine Gael TD for Wicklow/East Carlow, Simon Harris.

“This time five years ago Fianna Fáil was unveiling a €6 billion package as the economy slipped from their control and the country headed towards a bailout. Now as people open their first pay packet of the year, they will see and feel the effects of USC cuts introduced as part of Budget 2016.

“Five years later, 135,000 jobs have been created since the launch of the Action Plan for Jobs in 2012. Over the past year the economy has been creating over 1,000 jobs a week and unemployment has fallen from a high of 15.1% to 8.8%.

“We are now in position to reduce the tax burden on workers and give people income certainty by committing to abolish the USC over the lifetime of the next Government and reducing the marginal tax rate to below 50% for all workers.

“In the Budget we made a clear choice to reduce the tax burden on low and middle income earners to strengthen and reinforce the economic recovery by rewarding work and encouraging continued job creation.

“We are seeing economic progress across the country, but we cannot take for granted that stability and recovery will continue.

“The recovery we are experiencing is fragile, but Fine Gael has a long term economic plan that will Keep the Recovery Going. The plan has three steps – more and better jobs, making work pay and sensible investments in public services. 

“The next election will be a choice between stability and progress, and instability and chaos. Ireland needs a government that can be trusted to keep the recovery going, not one that would put it at huge risk. The re-election of the Fine Gael and Labour will provide the economic and political stability that Ireland needs. We have a plan to finish the job by building a strong economy which will generate the resources to invest in the services that people depend on.”