Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)

It is not a different question. I am glad to see it only concerns 2,200. The Minister of State, Deputy McGuinness, has been in business and so he will understand the threat of attachment orders. If an attachment order is put on a business, the Revenue can step in and clear out that business account, including any overdraft facility. Therein lies the problem and it is another reason, along with many others, some of the banks will not give overdrafts. I ask the Minister of State to talk to the Minister about it and check it out to see if the arrangements can be changed.

The Minister of State referred to the payment of taxes to Revenue. It is a major issue when Revenue acts in a heavy handed manner and this is happening in the case of some businesses. Revenue is looking for the money too quickly. We are now in very different economic circumstances. The UK tax authorities seem to have recognised this and have put in place a special business and support service to deal with this situation. If businesses are under pressure making their repayments the UK authorities talk to them and arrange longer term payments with interest charged; it is not for free. They are doing something about it whereas I am being contacted by business people on a daily basis who are being put under pressure to make payments to the Revenue.

Deputy McGuinness is a Minister who can talk to the Department of Finance. Will he ask the Revenue Commissioners to show a little common sense? If somebody owes €60,000 or €80,000 to the Revenue, I agree he or she should pay it if possible but if the person goes bankrupt in the attempt this will cost the State much more this year and in future years, in terms of lost jobs and lost taxes. This would amount to a hell of a lot more than €60,000.

Will the Minister of State give this question some consideration? It is a reasonable question and it is down for a reason. I remind the Tánaiste and other Ministers that I do not make these things up. Our counterparts in other countries show a bit of leniency in these times and help business during economic hard times rather than putting pressure on them. The threat of these attachment orders is a very serious threat.

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