It is reported that Fine Gael will reduce the main USC rate in its first budget, if re-elected.

However, it is not known what the level of reduction will be.

The Irish Times reports the party will position itself in favour of tax cuts over increases in public spending in its election manifesto, which will be outlined to members this week.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is due to deliver a pre-election message to Fine gael mambers this week, in which he is expected to outline the party leadership's position.

Mr Kenny previously said Fine Gael wuold entirely abolish the USC during the lifetime of the next Government, describing it as a "savage" tax introduced by Fianna Fáil because of the financial crisis.

He said abolishing the USC, and creating more jobs, would help to bring 75,000 young people home.

Labour leader Joan Burton added later that while she welcomes plans to cut and eventually abolish the charge on lower income workers, she believes it should stay for those on higher salaries:

"We would focus those reductions primarily on people on incomes between €30-70,000, and on up to €100,000," she said.

"I have to say people in terms of people who have incomes in excess of 100,000, I would expect to see them continuing to contribute at a reasonable level in order to get the investment into services that we require as a country."