Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

I apologise. Beyond that, the Minister asked for alternative ways to fund the jobs initiative. Instead of raiding the pension funds of ordinary workers, why has he set his face against any attempt to tax wealth? Did he read the article in The Sunday Times last Sunday that showed that the rich were getting richer, while the poor were getting poorer? Instead of raiding pension funds and continuing with unjust measures such as the universal social charge, there seems to be no willingness on the Minister's part to consider generating significant revenue which could be used to provide a real stimulus by creating an extra tax band for those earning more than €100,000 a year, and-or a wealth tax on the assets of the super wealthy, which tiny group has accrued even greater wealth in the last year. Why will the Minister not do this, instead of raiding pension funds?

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