Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The Government has terminated this levy which at least contributed €100 million to the Exchequer, an amount not to be sneezed at. There was then some vague talk about the banks, out of the goodness of their hearts, making a contribution in social finance terms. We know nothing about this social finance fund and no definitive figure has been put on it. We do not know whether it is a per annum contribution, the purposes to which it would be put, who would administer it, or whether it is forthcoming. Does the Taoiseach intend to revisit the levy in the light of this excessive profit-taking in the Irish economy? Will he tell us how much will be contributed in terms of social finance?

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