Pearse Doherty
Question:192. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer of taking all those earning the minimum wage of €17,542 out of the universal social charge net. [20074/13]
View answerDáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 April 2013
192. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the cost to the Exchequer of taking all those earning the minimum wage of €17,542 out of the universal social charge net. [20074/13]
View answerThe current minimum wage is €8.65 per hour. On an annualised basis, this is equivalent to €17,542 assuming a 39 hour working week. I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that the estimated full year cost to the Exchequer, estimated by reference to 2013 incomes, of increasing the existing Universal Social Charge exemption threshold of €10,036 per annum to €17,542 per annum would be of the order of €131 million. This figure is an estimate from the Revenue tax-forecasting model using actual data for the year 2010 adjusted as necessary for income and employment trends in the interim. It is, therefore, provisional and may be revised.