Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

On a serious note, however, the artists' exemption was supposed to be for people who were struggling to earn a living doing creative work. It should not be available to wealthy people as yet another perk.

This Bill is merely tinkering around the edges of a fundamentally flawed finance system. It is reflective of a Government that has no grasp of how serious the economic situation is and is lumbering from one ill-thought out plan to the next. That is reflected across the board, including in the Department of Health and Children.

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