Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

The Minister should not talk to us about fairness. He does not understand the meaning of the word. This Government speaks in the House about hitting people who are earning €20,000. It claims that this is fair while it lets high-rollers off with paying little or no tax. It is just outrageous. The public has not bought that, for all that the Government's spin machines were in action over recent weeks. They do not accept that. There is no reason families on low and middle incomes, which are struggling to get by, should have to feel pain in contributing to solving a problem that has nothing to do with them. The Minister is not staying. He is slipping out again. The amount of time he spends in the Chamber is minute.

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