Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am on the Bill, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I am here to speak up for those people and I wish to lay the lie about the better Government services. The inexperience of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, shows every now and then and he let the cat out of the bag when he suggested that if people want to have their roads tarred, they will be obliged to make a contribution themselves. This was a new one and had Deputy Varadkar the Minister's experience, he would not have come out with that last week, but would have waited until after Christmas. However, he will learn. If the Government puts forward the story that the property tax is being levied to bring in money to do work for people, while at the same time it tells them they will be obliged to pay on the double, people will not stand for that, because they simply do not have the money. It was a horrible experience a little while ago to listen to a person trying to defend the indefensible while talking about old houses and how they should be protected. I have as much respect for old houses as anyone but the houses in which I am interested are those with young families inside them tonight.

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