Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Anti-Austerity Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett and I have tabled amendments Nos. 105, 107 and 109, which are essentially identical to the amendments in the names of Deputies Pearse Doherty and Joan Burton. The first thing that comes to mind when we are discussing this stuff is why on earth there were penalty mitigation arrangements for tax defaulters in the first place. Why should people who are engaged in not paying tax be given special deals, or the option of special deals, if they agree to pay tax? I welcome the Government's decision to change the situation by closing down that possibility, but I do not understand why it feels the need to give tax defaulters months to put their affairs in order. I suggest we should move as quickly as possible to get the tax that is owed. I do not understand why we would have any concern for their need to get their affairs in order, to talk to their accountants or to do anything else. When people owe tax moneys to the State and its people, we should simply get it as soon as possible.

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