Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes. I accept that. I too made mistakes, but if one does not make mistakes one learns nothing. However, when on the opposite side of the House the Taoiseach thought he knew it all. We also had the gospel according to Saint Eamon then. Every day, the high priest, Deputy Gilmore, would preach from the high altar. According to him, it was Labour's way and not Frankfurt's way. He also told us that hellfire would not be hot enough to burn the bondholders.

The introduction of this tax is outrageous. I am the chairman of a voluntary housing association. Low-income families in non-profit housing have been singled out to pay the local property tax. This tax on social housing will have long-term consequences for the ability of non-profit housing associations to continue to provide housing to the most vulnerable. At a recent meeting of the board of which I am chairman I was told by the volunteers, all of whom who are older than I am and have worked hard to provide people with homes, that they were going to walk away. Why would volunteers do this while the mandarins and elected representatives are enforcing penury on people? There are many flood-damaged houses in Clonmel and others which are affected by pyrite. The owners of these houses, who cannot obtain insurance cover on them, are being asked to pay this property tax on top of the stamp duty they have paid and the service charges they continue to pay.

Members of the Government need to have a chat with their constituents and then among themselves, and then come back in here next week and take this tax off the shoulders of the people, because it is one tax too many. I hate using the word "hunchbacks" - it is a horrible term - but the Government has driven the people into penury and into the ground. Next Monday, there will be an estimates meeting in my local county council. As a result of its failed attempts to collect rates, it is obliged to consider reducing them. We now have another arm of government voting in more charges. This is the asylum, being run by the lunatics. Have respect for ordinary people, please.

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