Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Everybody knows consumption taxes such as these are regressive and will disproportionately hit people on low incomes. I have put this question to the Tánaiste, Deputy Burton, but it was water off a duck's back and did not have any impact. I thought it might have had. The bottom line is there are fundamental issues which have gone wrong. At least Deputy O'Dowd is honest now that he has left office. He now states what he believes and perhaps he felt he could not say it when he was in office. The Taoiseach should take heed of it and he should not dismiss it as lightly as he does.

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