Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

On the question of a financial transaction tax, the Taoiseach has not given an answer that is in any way credible. He describes it as fantasy economics. He thinks that denouncing as a fantasy alternative ways of financing this society that are fairer and more progressive is an adequate explanation. It is not. People want fairness in how this issue is dealt with. The figures were provided in the United Left Alliance's pre-budget submission, in which we outlined where we would get €10 billion. Instead of attacking vulnerable sectors of our society and working people who spend their money in the economy and help to keep it going, we clearly set out how we should tax those with obscene amounts of wealth, who are hoarding it in banks and are not spending it in the economy. Taxing them would not do any damage to our economy. What is damaging our economy is attacking low and middle income earners, allowing the decimation of our small and medium enterprise sector through excessive rates and rents and slashing the income of people who buy in the economy.

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