Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)

Introducing any new tax is always unpopular. However, introducing new taxes for any parliamentarian must be done in a responsible manner. Like all Deputies, I do not like burdening our citizens with extra taxes. Many who now support the Opposition may not thank the Government for introducing the household charge. However, future generations will look back at this time when the country is in an unprecedented economic crisis and thank the Government for taking hard but responsible decisions which sustained us. In the past, this country became totally dependent on unsustainable tax receipts from a property bubble which are no longer available to us. These tax receipts were funding public services for which alternative money must be found now. This country needs a sustainable revenue stream to fund local authorities and services.

Rather than being populist and political point-scoring like the Opposition, we should be looking for solutions rather than problems. It is not good to have legislators who are encouraging citizens to break the law. Where will those legislators be when the chickens come home to roost when penalties and increased charges will apply? They will probably be running for the hills at that stage.

Sinn Féin, in presenting this Bill, is speaking out of both sides of its mouth. As other Members pointed out earlier, the fact is it is prepared to charge an average of €1,000 per household in the North of Ireland for domestic rates.

See this speech in context