Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I am making the point that equity is being established in the tax system generally while the Deputy is referring to a specific issue. The wider issue is such that it represents greater economic justice to have 400,000 more citizens at work. The removal of another 280,000 workers from the tax net, the reduction of the standard and higher rates of tax by 6%, the substantial increase to €246 in the sum one must earn before paying PAYE tax and the significant widening of the standard tax band also represent significant improvements and greater economic justice for the ordinary people.

Under the rainbow coalition, the top 1.5% of earners paid less than one fifth of the tax. The top 1.5% of earners now pay more than one quarter of the tax. When one examines the progression——

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