Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Members of the Opposition complain that the 9% stamp duty is driving investment out of the country. These initiatives were designed to keep people investing here. When the then Minister, Mr. McCreevy, announced he was curtailing film relief, which is not a sector that creates the highest number of jobs, this House was delirious with condemnation that this could be done. We cannot have it both ways. One may undertake economic analyses but this country employs 2 million people, the economy has been growing by 7% or 8%, we have no debt crisis and our taxes are low because we have helped to make this economy strong.

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