Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Last night I sat through the Private Members' debate from start to finish. At one stage, it was like waking up after a nightmare and I had to try to figure out whether the nightmare was real. I had one of those moments when the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, quoted the Democratic Programme. It was one of the most bizarre incidents I have ever witnessed in this House. Given the way he was quoting it, I do not think he had read the programme. It made clear that the Government is bound to prioritise the Irish people and their interests. It refers to the sovereignty of the Irish people, which the previous Government, with the support of this Government, was prepared to barter. It got a bad deal because the barter did not seem to work.

The Democratic Programme also speaks, first and foremost, of ensuring our people's needs are met and to employ all of the country's resources to that end. That includes natural resources. This and the previous Government were more than willing to hand over Ireland's natural resources. The gas reserves were given to Shell and our public infrastructure, built by Irish taxpayers' money, was given to private interests. The Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, spoke of the importance of Ireland standing on its own and paying its way but bailing out failed gamblers and foreign banks as his Government is willing to do will make that impossible. There would be no need for the universal social charge if this or the previous Government had lived up to the spirit of the 1st Dáil and made a political choice to tax the wealthy and to harness our natural resources for the good of the people. The choice was made to squander what is rightfully ours.

The Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, also accused my party of pursuing an austerity agenda in the Six Counties. This is a gross misrepresentation of the truth and the reality of British rule. That is the other part of the nightmare I had - the Minister of State lecturing Sinn Féin on the reality of the North. The Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, and his party were happy to facilitate what happened in the North and the occupation of our Six Counties for many years, as they are happy to facilitate the visit of the commander-in-chief of the British Army to our shores. This will take place not for an hour or so but for four full days. Shame on the Minister of State for that.

The gross misrepresentation of the reality of British rule is that the key fiscal powers necessary to pursue our alternative plan for recovery have not been devolved to the Assembly. If the Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, is that concerned about the Assembly and the Six Counties, he will join us in our effort to end British rule in Ireland forthwith.

Deputy Paschal Donohoe followed as part of that nightmare when he tried to poke a hole in our proposals, claiming initially there was a black hole in our figures. Obviously he had not bothered to read the motion. He continued with his speech and it became clear that our figures stood up to any test. Our proposal for a new rate of 48% on individual income in excess of €100,000 would raise the same amount of additional revenue raised by the introduction of the universal social charge. Hence, it would compensate for its abolition. Under our proposals, the pre-existing health and income levies would apply briefly until a more radical reform of our tax system made it truly progressive and fair when it was completed.

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