Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)

——deliberately to necessitate local taxes such as the bin tax. It is incredible, but true, that at the very same time as working class people in Cabra, East Wall and Ballybough were organising themselves to combat bin charges, the super rich who earned over €1 million each paid less than 5% tax. Some paid none at all.

When Fianna Fáil was squeezing stealth taxes and bin charges from people on low incomes, the report of the Revenue Commissioners showed a marked increase in the level of tax avoidance by the super rich. The elderly, those living alone and those on low incomes bear the brunt of such inequitable taxation the most.

The Independent Members very much welcome the pension increases for the elderly, which are long overdue. Nobody deserves worthwhile increases more than elderly citizens, but they have never been given their fair share. Deputy Harkin points out that Ireland is way behind most European countries in the provision of care for the elderly and in social provision generally. In the European OECD countries, the average pension is 68% of the average industrial wage. Until now in Ireland, it was a mere 34%. Our elderly deserve better and much more. Some of the pension increases will be eroded by gas and electricity price rises, thus reminding us of the sell-out of our own natural resources in the Corrib gas field despite the Trojan work of Deputy Cowley and the small community in Rossport who oppose the multinational oil company, Shell.

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