Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I want to make a brief comment. I really cannot understand Fianna Fáil. My memory of today's budget is of Members on the Government side going back to their constituencies this weekend. It is of seeing them up there clapping today while people were being robbed.

I ask the Taoiseach a simple question. Why did the Government not impose the levy on incomes over €100,000? If he wanted, he could have imposed a 2% or 3% levy on those earning €200,000, €300,000 or €400,000. There are earners of such incomes.

The Government is attacking the most vulnerable in society. It is attacking the poor, the middle classes who are not entitled to medical cards and have to pay for hospital services, doctors and everything else. This evening I had a telephone call from a woman who has four children. She told me she did not think she would be able to live in this country any longer, that she had been taxed out of the country today.

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