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

The Minister would get many billions if he introduced a progressive tax on super wealth and a financial transaction tax and if he made major corporations pay something approaching a fair rate of tax rather than allow them to bask in the type of tax shelter they have here. The will to do that is not there. We have had much talk of recovery and much propaganda from Government sources. In reality, from the answers the Minister has given me this morning, it does not mean anything as far as low and middle-income workers are concerned.

I was fascinated to see the Minister on television recently when he speculated about possible tax breaks for workers. When he was asked about water charges and their effect next year, he said it had nothing to do with the Government, ignoring the fact that a family of four including an 18-year-old and a 19-year-old will have just under €500 demanded of it next year according to Irish Water. Irish Water seriously underestimates the amount that will be used and one will be talking about €600 or €700. Does the Minister not appreciate the contradiction between what he is saying and what the reality is for working people?

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