Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

On the €100 household charge, the Bill has been published by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan. However, it raises more questions than answers. In the detail of the document accompanying the Minister for Finance's statement today, I note the site valuation-based tax is now not proposed to come into effect until 2014. Consequently, it appears as though a flat rate tax will be levied on households for at least two years and the Government's capacity to deliver on this measure within that period remains to be seen. People really want to know where this charge is headed. Does the Government plan to increase it next year? I am sure the Taoiseach will agree that it is not fair or equitable to have in place a flat rate tax over a prolonged period, whereby someone living on Ailesbury Road will pay the same charge as someone living in a two bedroom apartment in Dublin city centre who is in negative equity of €200,000. The level of exemptions and waivers set out in the aforementioned legislation is miserly. The Government is also asking widows, carers, the disabled, pensioners, those in mortgage arrears and negative equity to pay this household charge.

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