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

It is not agreed. The Taoiseach is proposing to ram through the House without debate double taxation relief agreements with five countries on the day that the European Union Commission, which is as right-wing and neoliberal a body as one could find, says that successive Irish Governments have allowed Apple, a major multinational, to siphon off billions of euro from the Irish taxpayer into private corporate profits to satisfy corporate greed? This is being proposed on the very day we are told that an average family of four over-18s will have a new water tax in this State of almost €500 per year. Irish Water says it will be €483 for four people aged 18 or over, based on data that Irish Water has not shared with us - we do not know where it comes from - which states that the average usage is 88 litres per person per day, when the two major studies sponsored by governments show an average usage of 148 litres per person per day, and Denmark, which is by far the most efficient country, has a usage of 114 litres per person per day. There has been a very significant under-estimation of usage. From tomorrow, families of four and more will face anything up to €1,000 per year in a savage new austerity tax to continue the bailout of bankers and bondholders.

I do not want to let this proposal go through without debate. I want a debate on why this Government allows multinationals to walk away with billions when working-class people, low and middle-income workers, students, pensioners and the unemployed are saddled with a savage new austerity double taxation. I agree with double taxation relief agreements, but let us start with the Irish taxpayer. When this week will the House be afforded an opportunity for a major debate on this new draconian imposition on our people and on tax fiddling by multinationals? Then we can agree to the proposal.

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