Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

Government Ministers are able to impose price increases of 45% but in the real world, people are being obliged to make major cuts, economise, make cost savings and still deliver products on time in order to survive. That sort of culture needs to be introduced in the public sector. However, thinking along these lines is miles away from that which occurs around the Cabinet table.

With his decision to increase motor tax by10%, the Minister is again dipping into the pockets of motorists. This is not a green tax. Any notion that it is such a tax does not stand up to scrutiny. This is more about picking the pocket than about protecting the planet.

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