Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

I am not straying. I am talking about the use of the tax system to reduce emissions, which is what the legislation is supposed to be about. We have been told that the Bill will help the country to get its green areas right. That is what it is about. There are no buses on the bus lanes which, according to the Dublin county managers, have been built. Day in, day out, commuters sit in queues of cars while bus lanes are idle.

Three years ago integrated ticketing was proposed but it was never introduced. The Government cannot get the stakeholders into a room and nobody has taken responsibility for it, whether that is the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Minister for Transport or the Taoiseach, who has been non-existent for the past six months. This legislation will not work but we will be subject to the same scene as last week when Government backbenchers, in front of numerous people involved in autism organisations who expected one of them to stand out of the crowd, walked through the lobbies behind the Minister who has absolutely no interest in children who do not have the privilege of having everything 100% right. They will do the same again later. As Deputy Tom Hayes rightly said, this is hypocrisy of the highest order.

The Minister has good ideas and there is no question that we will support them but how can he introduce a taxation measure six months into the year and leave himself open to a court action? Six months ago he received a great deal of advice regarding the Ward Union issue and it is an absolute mess now. The Government will be sued and that will also happen with this legislation. People should sit down and work this out. If it does not need to be introduced for another six months, why is that not being done? The measure is not worth talking about because it will not happen. The sum of €83 million in revenue to which Deputy Noonan referred will not be collected because people do not have money to pay for the increase. The numbers not paying car tax will increase. Between 10% and 15% of motorists do not pay insurance or car tax and that will increase to 20%. The nation's debt has been planted on the people. The country is up to its ears in debt and we were issued with a good warning about that yesterday. However, the Government intends to land another tax on people. The money is not available.

This measure will destroy the car industry, which provides many jobs. Everybody loves a car but industry sources say this proposal will damage them because people will travel to England and Northern Ireland to buy cars, which will result in more job losses. I do not know where we are coming from. There is no sense or meaning to this House for the past six months. An idea, which looks good on paper, is thrown out and pushed through. Jobs are being lost left, right and centre throughout the country. Ministers are busy but I am surprised backbenchers from the Government parties will not stand up and be counted. They know what is going on in the country and they know it is wrong to increase taxes. Why have they come into the House to row in behind the Minster like they did last week behind the Minister for Education and Science before going on radio speaking hypocritically? This measure should be abandoned until 1 January and the Minister should rethink it. It will be challenged in the courts and if it is introduced, it will destroy the car industry, which we do not want.

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