Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

I will make it a little bit easier for the Minister. Will he accept there will be a cost to businesses and to consumers of services in Dublin arising from the enactment of this legislation? For the Minister's information, Fingal County Council has indicated that 35 to 40 staff will be needed, plus a ministerial salary or Minister of State salary that the Minister has projected, plus a home for the new officeholder and a regional authority to support it with the consequent staff that it would require.

To give an impression that such an office would pose no additional cost to the taxpayers or consumers of services or to the estimates of Dublin City Council or any other local authority in the Dublin area is off the mark. I ask the Minister again not to introduce another charge or tax on businesses and consumers of services in 2011 and to postpone the introduction of this legislation until 2014.

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