Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)

I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on this Bill, which is one of the most important pieces of legislation issued by the Government. I say " Well done" to the Government on this Bill. We live in extremely tough and difficult economic times and people are under extreme pressure. People who were once well-off, people with businesses, people rearing families and people across the board are finding times difficult. The country's finances are in turmoil and this Bill was never going to be good news. The challenge for the Government was not to focus solely on what to cut and tax, but to give people hope and help them in their hour of need.

I am aware the Opposition will point out the less palatable decisions made in the Bill and pretend that we could, somehow, regain economic sovereignty without taking the necessary measures. The truth is different, however, and the hard fact is that we must take these measures. Fine Gael was elected to do what is right, not what would make us popular. I believe doing what is right is the cornerstone of what the Government has been doing since it came to power. It is difficult to make these decisions, but whether we are Ministers or backbenchers, we are not afraid to do the right thing.

Changes in taxation and the change to increase from €4,000 to €10,000 the exemption threshold in the universal social charge will help some 330,000 low paid people. This has gone unnoticed and no Member of the Opposition has said this was a good decision, although they know in their hearts and souls it was. I cannot understand how some Members of this House, along with others involved in campaigns outside of the House, can say that people should not pay certain taxes. I see posters all over the country urging people not to pay the household charge or the €5 septic tank registration charge. These are fair charges. No matter how we crib about it, the household charge is a tax levelled on everybody. If there is anything wrong with that charge, it is that it is the same for all households, but the Government will move to adapt it so that people with more expensive houses will pay more, and I welcome that. Property tax is a fact of life in almost every country. It is a fair system of taxation and for that reason it is unfair and wrong for some Members of the Opposition to advise people not to pay it. It is a fair tax and will help the country straighten itself out of the economic mess.

There are young people in the Visitor's Gallery looking down on us here week in and week out. I am more concerned about those people and about the need to straighten out the economy for them. We have come a long way in 12 months. I say to the young people listening in the Visitors' Gallery that in two or three years' time, this will be a better Ireland, provided we stay on the road we are on and do not Mickey Mouse around and advise people not to pay this or that tax. If we all muck in together, we will come out of our difficulties. In any business that was ever in trouble, if the employees and management worked hard and pulled together and if they paid their debts, the business improved. Running a business and running a country is not much different. What we need to do is to get Ireland out of the current mess so that those in business will keep their jobs and there will be jobs for young people throughout the country.

There are huge opportunities in the food or tourism industries and for our educated workforce. There is potential, and this is clear from the announcements made by the Taoiseach some weeks ago. I spoke to the Taoiseach in the Chamber this morning and I could hardly believe him when he told me the number of jobs that will come to this country in the coming months and years because we are a competitive nation. If anything is to come from these difficult economic times, we must work together. The Opposition must stop opposing changes. I spent 12 years in Opposition and know it is the norm to shout at Government telling it that it is wrong. We need a better and more parliamentary approach that will come up with sound suggestions as to how the country can come out of its difficulties. If we do this, I have no doubt we will be in a better place.

I live in the heartland of the food industry. People are waiting in every parish in Ireland to expand their businesses, particularly in the food industry. Tourism is similar and I could talk about it for hours. There is potential in the country and we must believe in that and stick with it. Ireland is the place for me and for those who come after me, children and grandchildren. This is the place for us and this is the Ireland we want. It is the best place in the world in which to live and to do business.

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