Sinn Féin TD for Waterford, Conor D. McGuinness, and the party’s council group leader for Waterford,  Joeanne Bailey have called on the Social Democrats to clarify their position on the Universal Social Charge (USC) ahead of the publication of parties’ alternative budgets and Budget 2027.

McGuinness said the Social Democrats must clarify their policy on the USC as they became the only party to vote against a recent Waterford City and County Council motion calling for the abolition of the charge.

Deputy McGuinness said:

“The Government has spent years promising workers that the USC would be abolished, yet every Budget comes and goes with another broken promise. Last year’s Budget failed to give workers the break they needed, despite repeated commitments from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

“As we approach another Budget, workers and families deserve clarity. The Social Democrats should now tell people whether they support keeping the USC or whether they support its abolition.

“Sinn Féin has been clear and consistent. We would abolish the USC on all income up to €45,000, taking the vast majority of workers out of the charge immediately, before moving progressively and responsibly towards its complete abolition.

“Working people have carried enough of the burden. They deserve to keep more of what they earn.”

Sinn Féin Councillor Joanne Bailey said the Social Democrats had isolated themselves by opposing the council motion.

Councillor Bailey said:

“Councillors had an opportunity to send a clear message to Government that the time has come to abolish the USC. Every party represented on the Council supported that principle except the Social Democrats.

“The USC was introduced as a temporary measure during a financial crisis. More than fifteen years later, workers are still paying it while the Government continues to break its promises to scrap it.

“Families across Waterford are dealing with rising household bills, housing costs and everyday expenses. They need practical measures that put money back into their pockets, not political parties defending a tax that was never intended to be permanent.”

Deputy McGuinness concluded:

“Previous Budgets utterly failed to give workers a meaningful break. Budget 2027 cannot repeat the same mistakes as this year’s iteration.

“Sinn Féin has set out a fair, progressive and affordable plan to abolish the USC for the vast majority of workers. The Social Democrats should now make their position equally clear as Budget discussions continue.”