Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

With regard to the Finance Bill, I would have thought there exists an opportunity to improve on the budget but instead the property taxes have been done away with. The Minister also promised to deal with the bonus payments paid in bodies now under the State guarantee but he did not do so. A job creation scheme is essential but nothing has been put in place to support job creation. The opportunity to improve the budget and to put together a proper Finance Bill has been lost. A new Government will need to intervene. I hope a new, fresh Labour-led Government will be in control to try to improve the situation and to give some hope to the country in the future.

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