Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

I remind Deputy O'Donoghue that Yeats also wrote: "All changed, changed utterly: A terrible beauty is born." Regrettably, that is the reality we are coming to face in painful and stark terms in the context of this year's budget.

I am particularly interested in two issues, the first of which is the changes in section 23 reliefs. What is the basis for the Government's decision to restrict the rowing back of reliefs just to the section 23 developments? For example, we have developments in the student accommodation area which were equally attractive and which fuelled extensive provision, overly extensive in certain locations. What is the basis for the singling out of section 23? Why is it that others were or were not looked at as the case may be? Is the figure of €100 million a guesstimate or is there some scientific basis behind it?

I am also interested in the artists' relief, although not so much on the basis of the figure of €40,000. I would preface my remarks along the lines of the previous speaker and Deputy Ó Snodaigh to say that in times such as those in which we now live, very often the only ray of hope and light relief we get is from the artistic community. It is very important that especially those who are struggling to make a living, many of whom have operated on incomes at or below the minimum wage, are given every assistance possible.

I am interested in what constitutes artistic endeavour, and the Minister might address this in his response. We have ghost written autobiographies of former leaders of this country which qualify currently for exemption under the artistic endeavour clause in this scheme. That is not for what it was ever intended. It must be about creativity. It must be about fostering a climate of-----

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