Mr. John Bruton:

The Deputy is correct. The issue will not come down to an argument about tax levels. People will be prepared to take a chance if they think there will be peace. The big worry I have is if there is a border poll and it is carried, but there is not peace after that. That is far more serious than any issue relating to whether we have to pay another penny in the pound on income tax or such calculations. I am not criticising the people to whom the Deputy has referred but the estimates that are made are all speculative. They are talking about what will happen in future but one does not know what will happen in future in terms of economic assumptions. The central worry is what will happen in Ballymena, east Belfast, north Down and similar places if a vote on a united Ireland is carried by 51% to 49%. Are we able and willing to deal with that? Have we built up our security forces to take that on? Do we think that taking that on would not involve perhaps a diversion from other social goals that the Deputy and others would be concerned we pursue? We must ensure we do not become a militarised society because we have taken on more than we can chew. That is my worry. I do not get obsessed about tax levels. I mentioned it in my presentation but it is not the determinative factor.