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

I welcome the interpretation of Standing Orders and the possibility to move a little outside the strict remit of the questions asked. That is important in the week that is in it.

The reality is that working-class people of my acquaintance in the North on both sides of the community dread the increase in sectarian tensions at this time of year. Young people dread the menace spread, essentially by a minority of bigots and people who are sectarian who are, of course, on both sides. Trade unions, shop stewards and community activists are the ones who have the solution to cut across sectarian divisions and bring people together around their common interests. Of course, there is a balance of rights. There is a right to march. There is also the right of communities not to be assaulted by offensive marches. However, the solution and balance must be found from within the communities. That is the crucial issue. The arrangement must come from working class people, rather than sectarian politicians who only exacerbate the situation.

Reference was made to former President Clinton. The next time he meets him, will the Taoiseach put to him the points and contradictions I have put to the Taoiseach initially in respect of what he now professes to stand for and what the economic system he implemented means in reality?

To add a further contradiction, the businesses with which he is working, from which he is trying to get funding and to do this and that internationally are the very same giant multinationals that robbed the tax system blind around the world and used every possible device to minimise the taxes they pay on incredible profits that, according to the financial press, are unprecedented and just lying in bank accounts in various financial institutions, tax havens and so on around the world. These resources are desperately needed to resolve the problems of our society.

The Taoiseach should ask former President Clinton to ask those people about the contradiction in sometimes giving a few bob in the interests of humanity while robbing blind the taxation systems, including of the poorest countries, by routing through other countries, including Ireland, which assists the stealth removal of taxes from some of the poorest countries on Earth. Is that not shameful?

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