Feargal Quinn (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for being prompt with their explanations. To go from 273,000 employees to 103,000 is dramatic. Twenty years ago, one could not get workers in the butcher and grocery trades unless they were paid outside the tax system. Given the fact that this practice was stopped, there must be a way of stopping it in this instance.

Our guests have made a number of suggestions that seem to involve a considerable amount of red tape for businesses and small start-ups: all construction clients should advise Revenue; a mandatory site notice should display the names of clients; a certificate of building costs should be posted; all commencement notices should be reviewed; banks should notify Revenue of all significant cash transactions, etc. Start-ups complain to us about the amount of red tape. The solution offered by our guests seems to involve even more red tape. Will they comment on this point?

Regarding illegal fuels, I gather that Britain and Ireland are the only two countries that use this agricultural fuel system. Countries on the Continent, in particular France and Belgium, do not. Is there a better system than ours for enabling the identification of lower rated fuel?