Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

I do not wish to get bogged down in something that may be off the main point, although maybe I could be forgiven for that. Is it not the case that the 2% insurance levy came in under an Act that provided for the establishment of an insurance compensation fund and that vehicle was used to support this company? This money, which was legally assigned to an insurance compensation fund, is now being used entirely for Exchequer purposes. Where did the change occur such that something that was intended for a specific requirement was diverted into general Exchequer-raising revenue? I am sure it was convenient for the Minister's predecessors to keep this going as a source of revenue but was there ever a conscious decision, debate and approval of this change? This was introduced for a specific purpose.

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