Sinn Fein has welcomed the move not to scrap the Universal Social Charge

The party criticised the government for an apparent U-turn

It's after the finance minister Paschal Donohoe said the charge would be merged with PRSI instead.

That's in keeping with Leo Varadkar's promises in the Fine Gael leadership contest, but a break from party policy in last year's election.

Pearse Doherty says it was always the case that the country would not be able to afford scrapping the charge entirely: 

More from Cork