THE president of the Institute of Taxation, Mr Brian Bohan, has called for the elimination of employment levies. Speaking at the launch of Taxation Summary 1996/97 by the Minister for Finance Mr Quinn, the institute's president said hidden taxes, PRSI and levies were "breaking the back of labour and must be reduced". He added that levies should eventually be eliminated.

Mr Quinn insisted that there had been a substantial increase in take home pay. "Increases in take home pay due to real improvements to tax and PRSI introduced in the last three Budgets are generally of the order of 4 to 6.5 per cent," he said.