Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

I will speak briefly as I do not want to deprive the Minister of the opportunity to utter the final words on the Bill. I support the amendments. The principle being advanced, that no degree of relief for a subsidy or direct payment should be given to people who should be obliged to adhere to the law of the land, is sound and should be part of the Finance Bill just as much as it should be part of the necessary social welfare legislation. Not only are we giving relief with regard to many rental properties, but the State is the biggest tenant. Some 40% of all rents paid in this State are paid through the supplementary welfare allowance and that degree of double jeopardy means we should have provisions like this in both our finance and social welfare legislation.

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