Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Finance Bill has to do with the flow of revenue into the State as a consequence of the legislation that is enacted. I couch my question in the simplest possible terms. As a consequence of the group of amendments, what are the likely gains in tax flows, what are the likely losses in tax flows and what is the net overall position? It is a very simple, totally reasonable question and it was my understanding that calculations were done in all of these areas. On a previous occasion the Minister explained a kind of guesstimating process in arriving at the figure of €50 million. I have to say that, with great due respect, I do not even remotely believe it. It is just putting a finger up in the air and deciding €50 million. I have no concept of whether the €50 million is true, false, near or far and it does not sound as though anyone else does. There must have been some calculations done around advantages as a consequence of making these elaborate arrangements. That is all I am asking. On the social protection side where I was involved in budgets over a very long time, we had to go to enormous lengths to identify pretty much every single, solitary figure. I am just asking for something like the same level of information.

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