Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

I have one or two questions. The Minister mentioned a number of exemptions. Will he confirm that, for everybody other than those exempt, the DIRT, at 41%, represents a quite indiscriminate tax hit, including on a young person or partners saving desperately to buy a home and who might have €10,000 or €15,000 accumulated and who might be trying to accumulate more. The Minister mentioned two types of accounts, one of which is related to the credit union. He mentioned two interest thresholds under which DIRT would not apply. One was €650. Could he repeat his point? The Deputies who have been here for hours should really have received briefing notes on the seven financial resolutions, which are very technical. We should have had a briefing note on the measure on health insurance, giving us more detail. The approach is not acceptable. Could the Minister repeat the two types of accounts and the two figures up to which interest would be exempt from taxation? What amount would have to be in an account to reach the threshold of €650?

Like Deputy Boyd Barrett, I would not have any problem whatsoever with a wealth tax. We have been calling for it. I am referring to large accumulated deposits. However, the few thousand euros or even the €10,000 or €12,000 that many elderly people have put together over many years or that ill people have put together to have a few bob to bury themselves, as they say in the country, should not be hit, nor should the savings of small depositors who might be in rude good health. These people are in a different category completely from those who hold the real wealth that we demand should be hit but which has not been hit by this Government.

See this speech in context