Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire agus roimh na hoifigigh. On this issue of tax indexation, what the Government parties were discussing during the election campaign was not tax indexation; it was promises about tax cuts, which we have not seen delivered on. We pointed out during that campaign that you could not have a whole range of expenditure increases while reducing our tax take and that that was an irresponsible approach to take. We now see that yesterday the Minister published a report about future constraints we will be under relating to the lower number of workers versus the number of people who are retired, the ratios there and the risk of increased budget deficits. We already have an underlying budget deficit. There is a real issue with promises being made during election campaigns not just on 40,000 homes or reduced childcare or student fees but also about tax cuts that the Government then does not deliver on. I think that can make people cynical.