Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The group that was chaired by Dr. Thornhill was constituted by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the report of that group was sent to the Department so in strict terms that Department has ownership of that report. I assume the Department will publish it in due course but I do not know its timeline for publication. I stated what the Government has decided earlier on. A property tax will be introduced in the budget.

It will probably be effective from 1 July 2013 but that date is to be confirmed. The Revenue Commissioners will collect the tax. We will not be collecting €1 billion, as the IMF advised. Otherwise, the detail has to be worked out. Some of the detail will pertain to the recommendations contained in the Thornhill report and some will not. As with all such matters, taxes are announced on budget day. One does not usually have rehearsals of tax announcements: taxes are announced on budget day and one can debate them subsequently during the passage of the Bill that implements them.

I understand there are talks taking place among the Whips to have a debate on the economy the week after next. The Deputy will have a full opportunity to state his position on the economy and the fiscal measures he believes would be of most benefit thereto.

See this speech in context