The Coalition will reportedly slash Universal Social Charge in the upcoming Budget.

Cuts of 1% to 1.5% in each of the five USC bands are predicted by the Sunday Business Post.

The paper cites Government sources close to budgetary discussions.

The majority of cuts will be directed at the 7% bracket which applies to more than a million people - and nobody earning over €70,000 will benefit more than people at the lower level.

Extensive research is believed to have revealed a huge public appetite for tax cuts, and the Government is said to be planning a €750 million tax package, the centrepiece of which will be the USC.

Speaking on the Colette Fitzpatrick Show this morning, Labour TD for Dublin Central Joe Costello said "[USC] is a huge money earner for the Exchequer... it was something that was seen as an add-on to the normal tax take, and from the point of view it's seen as an emergency measure by the people at large.

"From the Labour Party point of view, we would see it that way too, and I think a lot of other parties would see it in the same way. But certainly we're committed to eliminating it at the lower income levels and the middle income levels... not at the top level," he added.

You can listen back to Deputy Costello's comments below, where he starts by discussing today's reports: