Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

Yes, and I note this Bill deals with governance. The Minister of State commented in his reply on Second Stage on his take in respect of the value of the IMF deal. However, Opposition Members may perceive the difficulties of the IMF deal for the ordinary punter, who this month will pay universal social charges, that is, seven extra points of income tax - and it is tax. Moreover, pensioners who open their pension slip are finding, even if they are in receipt of a medical card or are over 70, that they are paying the universal social charge. Can the Minister of State tell Members about the changes in governance and how it operates at present? This is a point that ordinary people in Ireland, as well as ordinary Members of the Dáil and the Opposition, must be able to understand.

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