Seán Ardagh (Dublin South Central, Fianna Fail)

I will take on board what the Leas-Cheann Comhairle has said. In regard to Financial Resolution No. 2, Deputies Paul McGrath and Rabbitte have expressed their astonishment at the figures. I too am astonished. It is fortuitous that the Minister for Finance has clamped down on this now rather than in three years' time. It is important the staff of the Department of Finance have the resources, confidence and ability to clamp down on this type of tax avoidance system and ensure that those people who work in Ireland pay the correct amount of tax.

We have all seen newspaper reports in the last eight or ten months detailing the numbers of properties bought by Irish people abroad, mainly in London but also elsewhere in Britain, eastern Europe and Canada.

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