The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has called for tax credits and bands to be increased in line with inflation in the budget in December.
ICTU's general secretary David Begg is also seeking a package of measures to help workers with child care costs. He said that Ireland was on the wrong trajectory for achieving a just society and that a move away from the ideology of low taxes and small government was required.
ICTU's pre-budget submission, delivered to the Minister for Finance this morning, says that the Government's strategy of insisting on a 12.5% Corporation Tax rate at a European level is neither sustainable nor in the best interest of the country.
ICTU is also looking for a windfall tax on profits from land rezoning.
However, it notes in its pre budget submission that the problems with changing course should not be underestimated. Apart from the ideological platform associated with low taxes and small government it says there is the practical difficulty of persuading the population that a change is necessary, at a time when people are not receptive to paying higher taxes.
Congress wants business taxes and levies reviewed and has urged the Government to seek higher taxes from the financial sector.
It says it would be strongly opposed to the introduction of a new corporate tax break for research and development because the corporate tax rate is already too low at twelve and a half per cent.
The ICTU submission to the Minister for Finance calls for the re-examination of a wide range of tax breaks including capital allowances for property development that are availed of by wealthy individuals to minifies their tax liabilities.
