Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

I support the suggestion by Senator Noone that each taxpayer should receive a statement at the end of the year outlining where his or her tax moneys have been spent. Sometimes much of the noise comes from non-tax paying citizens but the tax paying citizens should be informed officially as to how much of their tax moneys are spent on justice, health, education, social welfare, etc. It would help to have an informed debate on tax and expenditure. All of us should be mature enough to have such a debate on public expenditure and taxation in this House.

There was much talk about the household charge today but let us be realistic about it. This country is only a few steps away from bankruptcy. Very significant progress has been made in trying to turn around the ship of state but this country is almost broke. We must borrow billions to keep the country ticking over. There is no magic solution. Perhaps there is a way to use the copious amount of toner available to one party to photocopy the millions of Northern Bank notes and turn them into billions but it is not as simple as that. We need to have a serious economic discussion.

It is not realistic to expect the Minister responsible for the household charge to come to the House today but I agree with my colleagues who believe a contribution from the Minister to further clarify the urgent need for this charge and how and where it can be paid would be helpful. I ask the proposers of the amendment to at least allow the Leader to have discussions with the Minister to see if it would be possible to have that debate tomorrow. The Minster has come to the House to respond to Adjournment debates on the household charge but further public information and public debate is necessary.

However, the bottom line is that the Oireachtas, whether one likes it or not, has passed this household charge. If a country stops respecting the rule of law, it enters the field of anarchy and nobody wants that. We need further clarification but we must get it in a calm fashion. I do not expect that to happen today but I hope the Minister will have the opportunity at the Leader's request to come to the House, perhaps tomorrow, to engage in constructive dialogue.