Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)

They might not have robbed banks, but they robbed the people and gave the bank owners the people's money. That is what the Government and its predecessors have done over ten years now. What else have they done? They have presided over thousands of people dying on hospital trolleys and old people dying in their homes because of a lack of home support and a lack of proper help being given to those people to maintain their health and welfare in their homes. What is the Tánaiste telling us? There is no change in policy. He obviously believes what he has done up to now is grand and perfect, and is continuing with it. Tax exiles can declare they are tax exiles and walk away. We know that a few years ago one character walked away with in excess of €36 million that was owed to the taxman. Of course he walked off with that.

This amendment represents an absolute scandal. I agree there should be palliative care for people who need it and, God knows, we all know enough of them. However, we do not want families going into debt. If it is needed it should be paid for out of the public purse by the taxpayers who, I believe, would be happy to do so to ensure those people most in need of that care can get it in their last days on this earth. I believe they are entitled to it and what the Tánaiste is proposing is an absolute scandal. Why would I expect any different from a Tánaiste and a Government over this partial Parliament in this little semi-statelet over which he is presiding? It is pathetic and the Tánaiste and the Government have had their day.

I do not understand one matter to which the Tánaiste referred yesterday. How did Fianna Fáil get the support it did in last year's general election, for which I commend it? Yesterday I addressed the issue of how I believed it got that support, which was partially through its tax offers and scaring people on the economy. By God, it is a mystery to me why people have not seen through the Fianna Fáil Party long before now.

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