Minister decides it’s time to level the playing field

Budget 2016 has moved to equalise the tax burden between the self-employed and employees, but more needs to be done

One clear disadvantage of being self-employed is the lack of an equivalent tax credit to the employee tax credit

Prior to the finance minister’s budget speech, self-employed taxpayers would have had three requests for the minister:

■ That they should receive the same tax credits as their employed fellow citizens.

■ A level playing field in the combined burden of tax, USC and PRSI applying to their income.

■ Some level of encouragement for the risk that their capital is placed at to create employment.

Budget 2016 contained some welcome measures for ...