Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)

I am putting the realties on the record. The Government picks and chooses which troika Bills it wants to draft and implement as quickly as possible. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, referred to our position on rates in the North and he tried to use that as another reason to impose the household charge. It is quite clear he has no confidence in his own position. We are very confident in regard to what we are trying to achieve in the Six Counties, namely, to regain fiscal powers, to try to regain sovereignty for the 32 counties and to act in the interests of the citizens of this island, North and South, and not in the interests of the troika, which is what the Government is doing.

In regard to the Government's bully boy tactics, we heard a letter will be sent to every household which has refused to pay this charge. It should save itself the cost of a stamp and not send one to me because I will not be paying this unfair and unjust charge.

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