Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My first point concerns the process. Members of the Oireachtas Select Sub-Committee on Finance have three days, from morning to night, dealing with the Finance Bill. If the Government wanted to give this Bill substantial time at that select sub-committee, which includes Opposition Members and many excellent Government Members, it could be done. This is stifling parliamentary debate. The Minister should be careful because the more the Cabinet treats the people's Parliament with contempt, the more the people treat Deputies with contempt. The latest European trust barometers show the Irish people have the second lowest level in Europe of trust in their politicians. I ask the Minister to be careful when he does things like this because, ultimately, it hurts the Parliament and the country.

My second point concerns definitions. During Leaders' Questions, the Taoiseach stated, incorrectly, that gardens are not part of the valuation. We know that, up to one acre, gardens are included. I ask the Minister to correct that point because I would not like Government Deputies with incorrect information to vote in favour of a Bill.

My third point deals with the Bill. I do not have a problem with a local service charge as long as it goes fully to local services and as long as it takes accounts of the net value of the house, stamp duty paid, ability to pay and regional variation in price. I examined average house prices for three-bedroom semi-detached houses across the country. People in the Minister's constituency will pay 2.6 times less than people in my home town. One could argue it is because they are living in more expensive houses, which is true, but they are not living in bigger houses. Public sector employees are paid exactly the same amount. Recently, I was knocking on doors in Greystones and a garda came to the door at 7 p.m. He was very angry and he told me to come in. He pointed to a cheese toastie on the table and he said that is all he had left. He did not have money left after various cuts to overtime and pay. He could not afford to buy himself a proper dinner. The property tax will probably hit him with a bill of €500. He does not have it and he is not paid any more than anyone in the Minister's constituency or, interestingly, in the Taoiseach's constituency. People in those two constituencies will pay 2.6 times less than people in my home town. They are the same public sector workers paid the same wage with the same issues.

We will not get to all amendments tabled for this Bill. Can the Minister explain to the other members of the Oireachtas Select Sub-Committee on Finance why he is proceeding in this ways? This is bad policy. I do not understand why regional variation is not included, nor why ability to pay is not included. I would appreciate the Minister explaining to the sub-committee and to the other Deputies why he will force through legislation that does not account for aspects Members from the Minister's party have described as so unfair as to potentially cause a revolution in the country. That was the description of a very sensible Deputy.

Technically competent amendments have been submitted to this Bill. The amendments from the Technical Group, Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil are technical, sensible amendments. Why is the Minister pushing something through that seems to fail a test of fairness and ability to pay on so many fronts?

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