Madam, - Liz MacManus TD (August 5th) says we should by all means examine Labour's record in office. Indeed.
Unemployment was more than twice the level of what it is now. Today, Ireland has the lowest unemployment rate in the European Union.
Workers were hit for income tax when they earned less than €100 a week. Today, they can earn up to €274. This means that just two out of three earners pay income tax - compared with three out of four when Labour occupied the Department of Finance.
Since 1997, average tax rates have fallen for all categories of taxpayer. For example, the average tax rate - that is, income tax, PRSI and health levy combined - for the person on the average industrial wage has reduced by more than 10 percentage points from over 27.6 per cent in 1997 to less than 17 per cent in 2005.
In 1997, the average industrial wage was €19,372, and €5,348 of this went in tax. In 2005, the average industrial wage is more than €30, 700 - and now the tax liability is just €5,134.
Also, it is estimated that in 2005 the proportion of the income tax yield coming from those earning at or under the average industrial wage is projected to be about 5.9 per cent. The equivalent figure in 1997 was over 14 per cent.
As for Corporation Tax, the Rainbow Government just got as far as informing the European Commission of an initial intention to introduce a 12.5 per cent rate by 2006. This was only actually secured after the Rainbow left office. Labour then opposed the reduction to 12.5 per cent in the 2003 budget. - Yours, etc,
BILLY KELLEHER TD, Government Deputy Chief Whip, Leinster House, Dublin 2.