I ask the Taoiseach for an update on the commitment made by Fine Gael during the most recent general election that if it was re-elected, it would abolish the universal social charge, USC, at a cost of €4 billion. Having been elected on that promise and now that the Government is two years into its mandate, I ask the Taoiseach where that commitment stands, considering that it will cost €4 billion and was the key central plank of the Fine Gael election campaign.

A double audit is going on.

I am happy to report to Deputy McConalogue that USC has been reduced in the past two budgets and good progress is being made in that regard. Prior to that, in coalition with the Labour Party, Fine Gael took hundreds of thousands of people out of the USC net. We are making good progress in relieving people of the tax that Fianna Fáil imposed upon them during the crisis. As I indicated approximately a year ago when I was afforded the privilege of being made Taoiseach, it is our intention to merge the USC with PRSI and build up the Social Insurance Fund which we will need in the future, given the growing demands on social insurance and-----

Good luck with that.

That has no bearing on the election promises made by Fine Gael.