Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)

In all likelihood, this tax will have the effect of inflicting greater fuel poverty on the vulnerable and the country will be no closer to achieving its Kyoto targets.

I welcome the initiative on excise duty, which I hope will save some jobs. However, a considerable number of jobs have already been lost in the retail trade. As Deputy Ó Caoláin is aware, Border counties have been particularly badly hit in this regard. However, it is not just these counties that are affected. People from all other counties are also travelling across the Border in order to shop. The price of alcohol in Northern Ireland is one of the factors which encourages them to do so. I hope this measure will encourage people to adopt a common sense approach and shop in their own communities and support the local retailers who depend so heavily upon them.

It is an inescapable fact that there has been a huge loss of excise duty and VAT as a result of the partition of this island. There is a considerable market of some 6 million people across the island. Since the signing of the British-Irish Agreement, trade between North and South has increased steadily. Progress towards creating a truly all-Ireland economy is being made through the newly developed all-Ireland energy market and the activities of Tourism Ireland and InterTradeIreland, which since 2003 has benefited over 1,300 businesses and created hundreds of jobs. However, much more must be done.

An all-island economy is an imperative. Differences in VAT, corporation tax, excise duties and currency create barriers to economic development on both sides of the Border and cost millions in tax revenue. The removal of such impediments will create efficiencies, employment, wealth and opportunity across this island. Sinn Féin proposes the establishment of an all-Ireland economic committee, comprising Members from the Dáil and the Northern Ireland Assembly and tasked with harmonising taxes across the island; a joint North-South ministerial approach to promote our international food brand; and an all-Ireland agricultural body to implement all standards that safeguard the reputation of Irish agricultural produce.

The stimulus of a couple of hundred million euro contained in the budget is a joke.

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