Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

I am only too well aware of the situation of the national finances. The important thing in that regard is that the €160 million pencilled into the budget to come from the household charge be collected over the course of 2012, not by midnight on Saturday. By imposing these strict terms and conditions in this manner the Government is placing enormous pressure and stress on ordinary Irish families, many of whom simply do not have access to €100 between now and midnight on Saturday. Is the Government really going to impose fines and penalties on more than 1 million people if they genuinely cannot come up with €100 between now and Saturday night?

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