Election 2024

Sinn Féin promises to cut USC within first 100 days in Government

Tax cut would remove USC on first €45,000 of income for all earners, costing €1.8bn

Ms McDonald declined to comment on Gerard Hutch's proposed candidacy. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
Ms McDonald declined to comment on Gerard Hutch's proposed candidacy. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
Jack Horgan-Jones
Mon Nov 11 2024 - 13:10

Sinn Féin is promising a mini-budget cutting the Universal Social Charge (USC) within its first 100 days if returned to government.

Launching its slate of candidates in Dublin on Monday, the party’s leader Mary Lou McDonald said the tax cut, which would remove the USC on the first €45,000 of income for all earners, would cost €1.8 billion.

The party also indicated that it would have a mini budget on childcare, health and housing in its first 100 days in office.

She said that funding of the USC cut would be outlined in greater detail in its manifesto, but that the party was planning tax hikes on individual incomes over €140,000 as part of its general election platform.

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Finance spokesman and deputy leader Pearse Doherty said: “We know the pressure that workers are under during a cost of living crisis, and that’s what, within the first 100 days of a Sinn Féin-led Government, that we are going to act – we will introduce a mini-budget, which at the centre of it will be these cuts to the USC.”

Mr Doherty said the step would take the USC off the table for 1.3 million workers.

The party had already announced this policy in its alternative budget, published before the Coalition’s last budget in October this year. Ms McDonald said it would be a “fair and appropriate response” to put money back in voters’ pockets.

Ms McDonald said that if she was returned as Taoiseach she would meet Donald Trump as part of the annual St Patrick’s Day mission to the United States, arguing it was important economically and for the peace process.

“The United States of America, irrespective of who is in the White House, is a very, very important part of all that. Engagement and that relationship is extremely important,” she said. “Whoever is the Taoiseach I believe should and will go to the White House on St Patrick’s Day, because the first Order of Business on that occasion is Ireland, peace in Ireland, the reunification of Ireland for us.”

She said that it was also an opportunity to raise “areas where there is disagreement”.

Asked about her defamation case against RTÉ, Ms McDonald said it was “in the hands of my lawyers”.

She said she couldn’t answer how many Sinn Féin candidates in the general election had taken libel actions against publications or issued legal letters threatening proceedings.

Ms McDonald said she was not satisfied that Fine Gael leader Simon Harris had adequately addressed the issue of Michael O’Leary’s campaign-trail comments on the number of teachers in the Dáil, made at a Fine Gael event over the weekend.

“The issue here isn’t the comments themselves. The issue is the response by a room full of Fine Gael members and activists, and elected representatives, I presume.”

“I don’t think the leadership has clarified that, no, and I think he should.”

Asked about the mooted candidacy of Gerard Hutch, named by gardaí as a gangland figure, in her Dublin Central constituency, Ms McDonald would not be drawn into commenting. “My only focus and my only concern is for my own campaign, for Janice’s campaign, for the Sinn Féin campaign,” she said.

She rejected suggestions that she was reluctant to make criticisms of Mr Hutch. “I am conducting my campaign for my re-election, and my running mate. That is my only concern. Others who come to the field, it is a matter for themselves.”

Jack Horgan-Jones

Jack Horgan-Jones

Jack Horgan-Jones is a Political Correspondent with The Irish Times