Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

We are getting into a potential budgetary area and I am not prepared to comment on what, if any, amendment I will make to the tax credits system. However, with regard to the broader point on the facts, costs and problems that come with this, there are negative effects with such a system of refundable tax credits without the characteristics of a partial basic income system.

See this speech in context