Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

That response really demonstrates how the Minister just does not get it. He does not understand why people went out on the streets at the weekend. I will just throw his own figures back at him. Somebody earning €17,000, as mentioned by the Minister, got €173 back in the budget. Somebody earning €120,000 got €687 back, according to the budget document. The latter got almost five times more than people on the lowest incomes.

Even if water charges are pitched at the figure mentioned yesterday by the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton - namely, €200, which figure I doubt and which already seems to be causing great controversy in the Government - it would more than wipe out what the Government is giving back to the individual on €17,000. The person on €120,000, however, will be more than able to manage. Therefore, how can the Minister seriously say to me and, more important, the people of this country that this is fair and progressive? When the Minister adds to it the impact of rising bus fares and electricity prices, property tax, public service charges and all the other taxes and charges that disproportionately hit the less well off, can he not understand that there is nothing progressive about the way in which he is managing taxes and that tax justice is the issue at stake? He is not dealing with it in a fair way.

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