Sinn Féin today called on the Government to increase the level of minimum wage from €7.65 to €9.30 an hour so that it represented 60 per cent of the average industrial wage.
In its pre-budget submission, the party proposed keeping all those on minimum wage out of the tax net and keeping those on or below the average industrial wage of €31,322 within the standard tax band.
As part of its revenue-boosting proposals, the party recommended raising the level of corporation tax from 12.5 per cent to 17.5 per cent and taxing high-income earners - those with incomes above €100,000 - at a rate of 50 per cent.
The party's Dáil group leader, Caoimhghin O Caolain, said nearly 14 per cent of households living in poverty in Ireland were headed by someone in the workforce.
"This is a figure that has been increasing rapidly over the lifetime of this Government as wages have failed to keep pace with inflation, and workers have been hit hardest by regressive taxation and stealth charges.
"The minimum wage has failed to keep pace with rising costs. But even those earning more than the minimum wage are struggling to keep up in the face of spiralling costs."
Sinn Féin also wants to see an increase of €34.80 in the level of State pension.
Instead of means testing for the non-contributory pension, the party proposes a system of tax credits that it says will ensure pensioners do not have a tax liability where the basic pension is their only income.
Sinn Féin also called for the phasing out of what it describes as unjust tax break for private pensions.
Its submission called for an immediate curtailment of tax incentives, PRSAs and approved retirement funds with the objective of eliminating these incentives within a timeframe of no longer than five years and redirecting this funding into the basic non-means tested pension.
"In budget 2007 Sinn Féin is calling on the Government to prioritise households living on or below the average industrial wage, including almost one million who are in receipt of weekly social welfare payments," party leader Gerry Adams said.
"It is a disgrace that after more than a decade of unprecedented economic growth our public services are in such an inadequate state and so many people are struggling to survive."
