Франція уважно стежитиме за президентськими виборами, які відбудуться в Білорусі 26 січня, однак на основі вже наявної інформації вважає їх недемократичними та нелегітимними. Про це йдеться в заяві речника МЗС, текстом якої володіє Укрінформ. «На основі всієї наявної в її розпорядженні інформації Франція вважає, що ці вибори не відповідатимуть демократичним стандартам. Безпрецедентний рівень репресій, порушення […]
THE new Government has no plans to get rid of the hated Universal Social Charge tax — as we’d have to stump up €5.7billion to replace it.
Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers said the controversial USC, introduced in 2011 to save the banks and replace then-health and income levies, won’t be axed.
Deputy Chambers said: “The primary purpose of the USC was to widen the tax base and to provide a steady income to the Exchequer to provide funding for public services.
“The USC is an individualised tax, meaning a person’s liability to the tax is determined on the basis of a person’s own individual income and personal circumstances.”
He added: “The USC has played a vital role in meeting the many expenditure demands placed on the Exchequer.
“The USC yield was €5.7billion in 2024, and a projected yield of €5.7billion is expected in 2025.
“If USC were to be abolished it would be necessary to raise this amount from other sources.”
The minister said individuals with income of less than €13,000 per annum are currently exempt from the tax.
USC does also not apply to social welfare payments, such as the contributory and non-contributory State pensions.
This year alone, it is estimated that 1.1million taxpayer units — 33 per cent — will be exempt from paying USC.
Mr Chambers added: “Ireland has one of the most progressive personal income tax systems in the world, which plays a crucial role in the process of income redistribution.
“It is my view that a broad based progressive tax system, where the majority of income earners make some contribution but according to their means, is the most fair and sustainable income tax system in the long term.
“As such I have no plans to abolish the USC.”
He was responding to a parliamentary question from Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire TD Barry Ward, who asked if they were going to abolish USC and if there was a timeline for it.
Fine Gael had promised to make changes to the three per cent USC entry point in the recent General Election and increase it from over €27,000 to €40,000.
LOVE Island’s Curtis Pritchard unintentionally found himself in a hilarious moment as he FELL into the pool.
Dancer and choreographer Curtis, 28, is back on the ITV dating show for its second All Stars edition.
Saturday’s episode of Unseen Bits saw Curtis unintentionally create a humorous moment.
As joined a group by the pool, the star forgot about a nearby step and promptly slipped in.
His co-stars were left visibly shocked as Curtis resurfaced just moments later.
He said: “What happened there? Forgot there’s a step there. Sorry, darling.”
Meanwhile, Curtis’ time in All Stars so far has seen him “couple up” with a former winner.
2022 champion Ekin-Su entered the villa as a bombshell – at the end of the first day.
Following her arrival, she was given the power to steal one of the boys.
In a candid conversation with Curtis, he shared he’s had three girlfriends, including Maura Higgins, who he dated for nine months after meeting on Love Island.
More recently, Ekin-Su told Curtis “it was nice knowing you” as they clashed during a heated debate.
She wasn’t impressed when wasn’t impressed when Curtis didn’t believe her story about aliens.
Ekin-Su told the dancer about the time she believes she communicated with extraterrestrials.
Curtis quipped: “You chat absolute rubbish.”
But Ekin-Su insisted: “My brother was there… I was on FaceTime to my cousin and the call gets interrupted suddenly, goes purple and these three heads…
“I’m not lying. This isn’t a joke, I’m not hallucinating… three heads came up on my iPhone. Please believe me.”
While Curtis laughed Ekin-Su looked very serious and repeated: “I’m not joking.”
Love Island All Stars is back on TV for season 2.
Here we take you through the line-up of all the Islanders who are in the villa so far.
Bombshells
Each series brings with it a string of hot single bombshells making their epic entrance into the villa.
Here’s who has joined the villa so far:
She explained that her strange call came on the same evening many others on social media claimed to have spotted UFOs in the sky.
But Curtis replied: “I believe it will have been some sort of hack or bug.”
Ekin-Su didn’t seem pleased with his response and said: “Nice knowing you Curtis.”
Love Island All Stars continues on ITV and ITVX.
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