Mr. Mark Redmond:

The Deputy has hit the nail on the head in terms of the need for a communication exercise with small business around the 3% to 4% issue, which is what is at stake, and the reason people are being put through this pain in the current climate.

I pay tribute to the consultation process. As the Deputy will be aware, we consulted not only the Department of Finance and the Revenue Commissioners but also this committee and other Members of the Oireachtas. While I am fully cognisant of Deputy McGrath's observations, the consultation process has, in our opinion, in terms of the announcement made today, worked. It was a learning process for us all.

As stated by the Chairman and Deputy McGrath, it remains for all stakeholders to address the 3% to 4% of total tax yield issue. The other point made is critical. We have made public before this committee that the tax system is weighted against the business person in a fundamentally inequitable way. As was seen from the example on screen which Ms Clarke took us through, business people are being hammered in terms of heavy interest and penalties. If they overpay their tax it is nigh on possible for them to get any interest on that overpayment, which is a fundamental problem for small business in terms of the manner in which the tax system operates.