Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Apparently, there is no legislation before the other House. The Government is paralysed and part of the reason for its paralysis relates to the Taoiseach's difficulties and the associated succession battle occurring under the surface on his side of the House.

We will need to examine the written record to parse the Taoiseach's exact statement, but there is no parsing necessary in a headline that appeared in the Irish Mail on Sunday of 30 December, which stated: "Bertie lied about tax". I cannot recall reading a newspaper headline about a political leader in this State that was so blunt and used the word the Ceann Comhairle will not allow me to use in the House. I assume the Taoiseach rejects the assertion that he lied about his tax affairs. Has he taken action arising from this headline, the type of action most people would take or initiate were such a headline printed about them?

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