James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

The conflict between ministerial grandeur and Green Party membership is played out in the State car allotment but across the board the exemption of the wealthy and well connected continues.

Budget 2009 also saw the introduction of an air travel tax but it does not apply to executive Government jets. What impact will it have on this Government that such a tax, which is an ill-conceived and knee-jerk measure, will penalise families, affect the regions, result in job losses and force airlines to pull out of Ireland? In case the Minister for Finance is unaware, this tax could force the closure of regional airports and will hit the business community and international connecting passengers. Those using London as a hub for onward travel will be particularly hard-hit.

Any anti-tourism measure at a time when visitor numbers are falling is very much a case of killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Showing a remarkable lack of joined up thinking, the Government on the one hand is introducing an air travel tax and on the other is announcing a marketing campaign, costing €47 million, in an effort to reduce falling visitor numbers.

This Government's legacy will be one of "do as I say, not as I do". We have seen 11 years of a Fianna Fáil Government that believes that all initiatives, be they cost-cutting or reducing our CO2 emissions, are applicable to everyone bar its members. It is incumbent on this Government to ensure all State cars comply with the strictures it is imposing on the rest of our citizens. Maybe the Minister, Deputy Gormley, could take that up. It is not beyond the realms of normal sense that diplomatic cars should also be required to be environmentally friendly.

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