The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has called on the government to provide funding in the coming budget to buy back the Westlink Toll bridge so it can be operated without tolling.
Speaking at the launch of the Congress pre-budget submission General Secretary David Begg said that such a move would eliminate delays on a crucial national artery.
Begg said the bridge is due to revert to the state in around a decade's time anyway, adding that it was remarkable in a modern economy that such an important urban bypass should be tolled.
Congress is also proposing a €5000 levy on sports utility vehicles over 2.4 litres for environmental purposes - and described such a move as a tax on vanity.
Begg said the 2005 budget must move towards delivering commitments set down in the Sustaining Progress national agreement, including the commitments on social housing.
Congress called for minimum wage earnings below €273 a week to be exempt from tax. They want workers earning less than the average industrial wage of around €30,000 to be taxed only at the standard rate. They also want the govenrment to index tax credits and bands to preserve the value of wages.
On corporation tax, they accuse the government of leading a race to the bottom in Europe with its 12.5% rate of corporation tax. It called for a 20% corporate tax rate, in line with the standard income tax rate. Congress is also seeking the elimination and capping of tax shelters particularly those involving bloodstock and property.
It wants tax credits to help parents to fund childcare. As regards welfare, ICTU recommends improvements in the lowest social welfare rate, as well as payments including ,maternity benefit, and medical card eligibility.
They want the introduction of non means tested payments for carers, and have called on the Minister for Finance Brian Cowen to reverse govenrment policy on cutbacks in community employment schemes.
David Begg also called for action on the looming pensoins crisis, saying it was a crucial issue, that was more important than wages.
*** A spokesperson for NTR, which owns Westlink, said the traffic congestion problem is not driven by the Westlink but by the inadequcay of interchanges on the m50. If you removed the toll plazas tomorrow the issue would be the same. as part of the NRA's plan to upgrade the M50 the development of the toll plaza will be addressed.
