Shane Ross (Independent)

I regret that there is little real tax reform in this budget. There was a great deal of speculation that the bands would be widened. Not to widen the bands is, in effect, a stealth tax. I would like to have seen the Minister continue on the radical programme, in which he has been involved over the past seven years, of reducing direct taxes or, not my preference, widening the bands. I regret he has not taken that initiative.