Catherine Noone (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State. As a Government we must ensure we explain clearly to taxpayers where their taxes are actually going. This move has recently been introduced in Britain; no doubt the Minister of State has heard of it. In the UK people will be issued with personal statements detailing exactly how their taxes are being spent. This is a simple idea although it may be complex to implement it. We need to ensure we are communicating clearly with the public at all times. The Irish public has shouldered much of the burden of the economic crisis in the recent past and it is important that we explain how people's hard-earned taxes are being spent.

There is a common misconception that were if not for the banking crisis we would not have a deficit but this is simply not the case. Aside from the cost of the bailout of the banks we are spending more than we are earning. Some clear information about the tax take and where it is being spent could help to counteract this impression. For example, I do not believe most people are aware that about a third of all Government spending in 2010 went on social welfare.

A recent Edelman trust barometer indicated that while 77% of people want the Government to communicate honestly and frequently only 11% believe this is happening. The British Government has decided to publish personal tax statements in order to make the tax system more transparent and easier to understand. I am interested in hearing the Minister of State's views on the idea of the Irish Government publishing personal tax statements.