Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

Ba cheart go mbeadh an Aire sinsearach sa Teach don díospóireacht seo. Ní dóigh liom go dtuigeann sé chomh tromchúiseach is atá an cheist seo. Tuigfidh sé é sara mbeidh mí Márta istigh. Is masla don Dáil é agus is masla dos na Teachtaí a thagann anseo chun ionadaíocht a dhéanamh é. Táimid ag iarraidh cás a dhéanamh ar son na cosmhuintire maidir leis an gcáin nua mímhácánta mícheart seo.

Dúirt an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Ó Dubhda, go raibh an Bille seo sa Seanad ar feadh 11 uair. Nuair a thiocfaidh 10 a chlog anocht, ní bheidh ach cúig uaire go leith caite againn ar an reachtaíocht sa Teach seo. Dá bhrí sin, beidh ar a laghad dhá oiread an méid díospóireachta i dTeach nach bhfuil ghnáthdhaoine in ann vóta a chaitheamh dó is a bheidh anseo sa Dáil, ina shuíonn ionadaithe atá tofa go díreach ag muintir na tíre seo. Is masla eile é sin.

It is a despicable slight on the people of Ireland who send representatives to Dáil Éireann that this Bill has been given twice as much time in the Seanad as it will get in the Dáil. The Minister of State has said that it was debated for 11 hours in the Seanad. By the time 10 o'clock comes tonight, it will have been considered by this House for a maximum of five and a half hours. It is not good enough.

I am afraid the Government's whole attitude to this Bill is that it should be rammed through as part of business as usual. The Government thinks things will be all right on the day. It expects people to complain but ultimately to pay up. It will not be so. This tax is a burden too far. It marks the first opportunity for decent tax-paying people to say "No, you are going too far". It will be a referendum on the imposition of unjust taxes at a time when billions are being given to gambling bondholders in respect of whom the Irish people never entered into any contract. Dá bhrí sin, táimid ag cur in aghaidh glan an cuid seo den Bhille.

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