Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

Am I correct in reading the Tánaiste's response as meaning that he has discovered he cannot implement the clear commitments made to the public? Under the guise of making a proper balance between income and other taxes, the Tánaiste is seeking a way to ignore commitments made solemnly to the Irish public. In May there was no problem in honouring these commitments. Fianna Fáil berated every other party and produced deliberate untruths about other parties. These are firm commitments on which the Tánaiste went to the public. He is now backing off them, saying he cannot afford them and failing to refer them to the commission. That is reneging on a solid commitment.

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