Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

He is probably used to shouting down people but I like to do business in an orderly fashion. I listened to him and am now replying. Sinn Féin has no amendment dealing with the imposition of a travel tax and Fine Gael has tabled an amendment reducing the tax. We would prefer if the tax was at zero but we are also realists in so far as the State must collect revenue. We have produced a budget based on the fact that the Government is retaining a €3 travel tax. To show our disdain for the idea of a travel tax in the first place we put down an amendment in order to debate the issue, which is more than Sinn Féin has done.

Sinn Féin should stop at every possible opportunity looking to introduce party politics into every amendment. It is criticising either the Labour Party or Fine Gael on every occasion. It has made the point that it does not believe in increasing taxes but it wants to increase expenditure. It has not indicated how everything will balance so we accept that the party lives in a fairyland. It should not spend its time criticising a party putting down an amendment to reduce the proposed tax when it has nothing to contribute.

As my colleague, Deputy English, has said, as an island nation it is crazy to impose any travel tax. We must encourage people into and out of this country. If they are travelling here on holiday, they must return home. It is beyond belief that we would impose a tax on travel when we want to create jobs and the tourism industry is crumbling. Any hotelier, publican or guesthouse owner will tell one what is happening in the tourism sector. We should do everything possible to boost tourism and create jobs. We should not have taxes which discourage people from visiting this country.

I ask Deputies to support the Fine Gael Party amendment and ensure the air travel tax is progressively abolished. While the composition of any new Government is a matter for the electorate, I hope the new Administration will abolish the tax at the first opportunity. In the meantime, the amendment reinforces the argument that Ireland does not need a travel tax when tourism numbers are in decline, the tourism sector is on its knees and hotels are closing. It makes sense to avail of every opportunity to use tourism to ensure there are better days ahead.

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