Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

At the end of all of that, the Taoiseach had time to visit the recycling centre. However, he could not identify the recycling centre to which he went. He certainly goes a long way to recycle when he visits facilities in Drogheda and Wexford. I presume he puts the material to be recycled into the boot of his ministerial Mercedes because he does not have a car of his own and does not drive.

Nobody would believe what the Taoiseach says. He is only short of playing cricket on some spare patch of ground. He jumps on the bandwagon in respect of anything that becomes popular. The only thing he recycles is other people's ideas.

What would be the cost to the social insurance fund? How is it that 2% off the standard rate of tax would cost €1.023 billion and 1% off the marginal rate €211 million? That does not factor in indexation which relates to wages, not the CPI. In addition, it does not take into account the doubling of the carer's tax credit. All of this amounts to €850 million per annum, according to the Taoiseach. During the prudence period the Minister for Finance said everything would be clear and fully costed. I am asking the Taoiseach to indicate the cost of the package he outlined at the weekend. What would be the cost of the income tax changes? By how much would the insurance fund have to be topped up? Is he certain that we would be able to pay social welfare benefits and pensions, particularly in the aftermath of what he has done to the social insurance fund?

What would be the cost of the package outlined by the Taoiseach? Why did he reverse engines mid-week after he had sent out the Ministers for Social and Family Affairs and Finance, Deputies Brennan and Cowen, and informed his backbenchers that it was a matter of steady as she went and that prudence was the way to manage the economy? He threw promises around like confetti. Is it any wonder the woman to whom I referred thinks he is similar to Pinocchio?

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