John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

This is the most important point. This is now the preserve of the Commission on Taxation. My Department has been in contact with the chair of the Commission on Taxation and has put forward our views in a coherent way. Under the terms of reference its full report must be made by 31 September 2009. It is in a position to issue interim reports. We have to get this right. We must make sure that such an important issue is fully integrated into the financial arrangements of the country to ensure it works well, as envisaged in the ESRI report. I am confident it will happen.

I am also confident that we will have a carbon levy. It is a question of when, not if, it will happen. It will definitely happen, but we must make sure that we get it absolutely spot on. This is a rigorous Government in terms of the financial management of the country and I am sure we will get it spot on.

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