Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)

I also refer specifically to the community employment schemes. Obviously, these schemes affect not only rural areas. Every town, city and village in the country will be severely hit by the changes to the schemes, both in grants and in personal payments. There is also the cost of sceptic tank upgrades. I refer to those two items in particular.

I want to focus on the part of the Government amendment which states that "the principles of fairness, growth and reform underpinned the outcomes set out in budget 2012", which is a completely unbelievable statement. Nobody in the country believes that. This budget is specifically targeted at middle and lower income families. The Government had a choice and we in the ULA put forward that choice consistently over the past number of months. Of course, the Government does not want to hear it because it means taxing its friends and cronies.

There is space for a wealth and assets tax in this country. There is none here, but such a tax is in operation in a number of other countries, including EU countries, and parts of the United States. The wealthiest 5% of persons in this country have personal assets, not business assets, amounting to €219 billion. A 5% tax on that would bring in €10 billion. That is the type of income that super wealthy persons should pay to the State. It would be at least a start in ensuring that everybody paid his or her fair share.

That is a choice the Government has and should make. It is a choice that would create rather than destroy jobs. The Government has destroyed 25,000 jobs in the past nine months.

See this speech in context