Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

The Commissioner was apparently told by the Irish Government this morning that the economy is going swimmingly and we are on the cusp of a major development. The economic situation is a disaster in this country, as is austerity. The policy pushed by the Commission of forcing ordinary people to pay the price of gambling bondholders and speculators' debts for which they had no responsibility is killing our economy and its ability to raise taxes. That should be of crucial concern to the Commissioner. It is only economic growth and development that will get extra taxes for our services and people. That should be "A, B, C".

The Commissioner repeated the same propaganda of the Irish Government regarding a broadening of the tax base away from labour. The Irish Government is imposing a substantial burden on people through the new home tax. Where does the Commissioner think people will get the money for it? Does he think people have a pot of gold secreted away in their houses that they can pay? Is he aware that the Revenue Commissioners have been given the power to take the home tax from people's wages? It explodes the myth that this is somehow coming from some mysterious source other than from the wages of workers.

It is the right of every people to decide their own taxation policy but does the Commissioner expect the FTT to be implemented among the 11 member states this year? What return does he think will come to those member states from the implementation of that tax?