Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I am a little confused by the Taoiseach's first response. Perhaps he will offer some clarification. There is no question that the ceding of tax sovereignty would have very serious consequences for the State. While the Taoiseach indicated he and Commission President, Mr. Barroso, shared a broad outlook on this issue, that is not my understanding of Mr. Barroso's stance on the common tax base proposal. Is it not the case that the shelving of this issue is related to the upcoming referendum? Did the Taoiseach play a role in having this particular proposition shelved until after the treaty referendum? Did he and the Government seek to have it shelved because they are anxious as to its impact in terms of Irish voter thinking regarding the EU reform treaty proposition, which is a constitution by any other name?

The Government states that the European water framework directive is forcing the Departments of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Education and Science to levy schools with a water charge. While the Taoiseach's intervention yesterday is welcome and the action he intends to take has been broadly welcomed across the sector, clarity is nonetheless required on this matter. I asked the Taoiseach whether the Government supported the introduction of the water framework directive in 2000 or sought to have schools and other not-for-profit public facilities and services excluded from the directive. I would like to know the factual position regarding the Government's record on both these matters. As regards the absence of clarity, this was a train that was always going to hit us, as it did recently. I ask the Taoiseach to provide clarity on the questions I posed on the common tax base and water framework directive.

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