Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

The rest must also do it. It is all very well giving lectures in here on economic cuts but it is time for all Deputies to put up or shut up. That is where we start.

I will put forward proposals on how to get us out of this mess and I would like the Minister for Finance to examine them. In the past few days I made a submission to the Taoiseach. I told him I have always supported the call for more patriotism, but my patriotism does not include hammering low-paid workers, the elderly, sick, disabled and young children. There are always other creative ways to fund these matters. In recent months I have taken difficult decisions in the interests of our country and have put forward ideas to resolve these issues. For example, let us be brave and examine the idea of increasing the standard rate of income tax to 22% and the top rate to 45%, which would raise €2 billion per annum. As the Minister of State, Deputy McGuinness said, let us examine the idea of removing impaired assets from the balance sheets of banks and moving them to Government-owned asset management companies. We should also examine tax on second houses, not family homes, at a cost of approximately €600 per house. We should seriously examine reducing waste and bureaucracy rather than cutting essential services. Tax shelters and exiles will have to be confronted. We also need to examine tax on profits and investments and we must be brave to broaden the tax base. Everybody should contribute in this economic downturn, no matter how small the contribution.

I told the Taoiseach we must get the social partners back on board and support the positive proposals in the social solidarity pact from ICTU. I welcome today's development and have been calling for it for the past seven days. Another issue which many have ignored is listening to people on the ground who have new ideas to develop our economy and jobs. There is a pool of talent in this country who want to serve our nation in difficult times and I have met these people in recent months. This may be controversial, but there is scope to borrow more and the Government and Opposition should not bottle this issue.

I asked the Taoiseach to do a national address to our people live on television to get people to support economic patriotism. We know unemployment will average 12% in 2009 and our exports will decline by 6% this year. I told the Taoiseach he needs to be straight with our people, then they will rally. Society is people. Without people there is no society. I urged the Government to join us in a crusade to redevelop respect, trust and community spirit by insisting on people-centred policies and actions.

We must get the balance between cuts, taxation and capital projects right. We also need to focus on jobs as a way out of this crisis, for example in the recent situation in SR Technics. We need a Tony Gregory-type plan to deal with this issue. I call for support for the plan to save our aircraft maintenance company. I call on the Government and the IDA to support a proposal to invest €20 million to save 1,135 jobs and to protect a vital national industry. Fingal County Council will lose €1.5 million in rates if SR Technics closes. It is economic madness to put this quality team on the dole. They have already had 30 expressions of interest in the SR Technics plant. It is aviation vandalism to lose SR Technics.

These are just some concrete proposals I have put on the agenda and I urge the Government to take them on board as a solution to some of our problems.

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