Taoiseach Simon Harris has made a pre-election promise to slash USC for high-earning self-employed people, writes Brian Mahon.
The Universal Social Charge adds 3% to rates paid by these workers on income over €100,000, meaning they pay a total of 11% on earnings over that level.
Mr Harris, the Fine Gael leader, said last night that abolishing the surcharge will feature in his party’s election manifesto.
He called the levy “a vestige of austerity” and insisted it must go.
He said: “It’s a perverse state of affairs that those who risk the most are penalised the most.
“We need to reward entrepreneurship, not penalise it, and our manifesto will make this clear.”
It comes as Jack Chambers, the Fianna Fáil Finance Minister, also indicated that a probusiness package would feature in the forthcoming Budget.
This could mean delays to the Government’s pension auto-enrolment scheme, enhanced sick pay or minimum wage …