Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)

On Deputy Doherty's stated position on section 4, as I understand it even if the Minister were disposed to introduce an amendment along the lines proposed by Deputy Fleming, Deputy Doherty would in any event vote against it because he is opposed to section 4.

A not unreasonable point has been raised by Deputy Fleming in relation to ARFs. There has been a useful discussion on the matter. I am prepared to take the Minister on faith in relation to there already being embedded a track of taxation in the treatment of ARFs and that he faces a different situation with mainstream pension funds that are subject to the levy. The Minister has indicated to the House that he is prepared to look at this issue in the context of the forthcoming budget and new finance Bill. As I understand it, Members have indicated they would be willing to support him were he to address it in some measure in the forthcoming finance Bill. I believe, notwithstanding that a fair point has been raised about ARFs, that the Minister's preparedness to look at this issue in the autumn addresses the issue far more convincingly than does the amendment before us.

At the risk of extending the issue to people's names being raised in the House, my reaction to the repeated references to the individuals concerned was borne out of a sense of amazement at Deputy Fleming's conversion to the point of view that these people should be the subject of derision, which is new coming from his quarter.

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