Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister very much for that. I disagree with him. We should have a report into this to further examine it and study it. If he looks at this national solidarity tax, it is based on a similar model operating in Norway. There is a tax like this on large corporations, including oil and gas companies. I cannot see why we should not further explore the possibility of a tax like this. Again, I can see it working to the advantage of the person on the lower income but also that of smaller businesses. Ireland is made up of an awful lot of businesses where there are one, two, three, five or ten employees. Those businesses are really struggling, as I already outlined, with the extra basic costs on them today. If it is working in places like Norway and has been proven to work, why not further examine it? The Minister said it does not merit being further looked at. I humbly argue with him and ask why not look at it more. Why not explore it? If, after doing that, we can in the committee or wherever see there are compelling reasons we are wrong then that is fine and the Government can beat us on that.

In life you must look at every aspect of a problem before you come up with a sound and solid solution. We have a problem at the moment that many people are struggling and we are just trying to look out for them. We are just trying to ensure those people will survive. I have been talking for the last long while about mam's purse. Mam's purse is under attack and it is not in order. When that purse is not in order at the weekend then we are in trouble. Whether you are the Minister for Finance or whoever you are, mam's purse has to be right and it is not right at present and is not going to be right for a long time. Anything we can do to address that or rectify it or help in that situation should, I politely suggest to the Minister, be further explored.