Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

We believe there should be a wealth tax. The household charge imposes the greatest percentage loss on those on low incomes, according to the ESRI. How can the Government and, in particular, our comrades in the Labour Party justify a tax, which ordinary people with meagre incomes are expected to pay on the same basis as millionaires? That is unfair. People ask me why they should have to pay the same as millionaires. Why should an elderly person or someone on social welfare have to pay for people who ripped off this country and created the mess? That is where the anger is coming from among ordinary people and that is why they will not pay the charge. One only has to look at the number of law abiding, decent people who say there is no way they will pay this. That took a great deal of courage and we should recognise that. The Labour Party does not have a monopoly on what is right and wrong in this House.

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