Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is diverting the discussion slightly. The economic cost of an oil spill in the bay would be far greater than the cost of any benefit we might receive. In any case, we would not receive the same benefit as the private multinationals.

The Minister has alternative proposals which have been put to him by various Members. As I pointed out to him, responses from his own Department indicate that 108,000 people - the top 5% of earners - are earning over €100,000 a year, with average earnings of €185,000. On average, they are paying at an effective tax rate of 36%.

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