Martin’s tax claims don’t add up – Coveney

Fine Gael TD for Cork South Central and Minister for Agriculture and Defence Simon Coveney TD has said today (Monday) that the tax cuts announced by the Government in Budget 2015 will benefit all who pay income tax and USC, despite Michael Martin’s claims to the contrary. Minister Coveney said the Government’s changes to income tax and USC rates will mean more money in the pockets of everyone who pays, while Fianna Fáil’s position on maintaining the high tax burden will benefit nobody.

“On today’s Morning Ireland Michael Martin tried to claim the Government’s plan to reduce the tax burden would benefit 18% of the population. That is wrong. Everyone who pays income tax or USC will pay less as a result of October’s budget. We have reduced the tax burden for everyone who pays.

“Michael Martin went on to attempt to claim that the Government is not dealing with low and middle income earners. That is false. Reducing the marginal tax rate of 52% on middle income earners in last October’s budget was our priority. Reducing it further remains our priority.

“Fianna Fáil proposed no changes to USC or income tax rates in their pre-budget submission. Therefore they proposed not to reduce tax for anyone. We have a three year plan to lower tax but as far as we can tell, Fianna Fáil has no intention of doing so. Although we cannot be certain because, like their health policy, their economic policy seems to be in perpetual development.

“The Government believes in making work pay by reducing taxes in a focused way to grow the economy and to increase jobs. We want to ensure that people across the country are better as a result of the improvement in the economy. Apart from opposing our tax policy, Fianna Fáil hasn’t outlined any policy of its own which it needs to start doing.”