Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Let us consider the change that is taking place. We can all pick examples from the tables to suit our arguments. Let us consider a single-income earner on €25,000 which is probably not far off the median earnings in the State. It may be €2,000, €3,000 or €4,000 off the median earnings. It is not far from representing a middle-income earner in the State. Such people gain €1 a week and their change as a percentage of net income is 0.3%, versus an income earner on €75,000 who gets €6 a week - six times more in euro terms. which is 0.7% in percentage terms.

That is not a progressive change relative to the €25,000 earner, which is not far off the average in reality, versus the €75,000 earner. That is a regressive change in their relationship. Does the Minister accept that as a matter of statistical fact?