Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

The cost of a three year passport for infants up to three years of age rose from €12 to €15 while the five year passport for those between the ages of three and 18 years rose by over 100%, and the emergency fee for passports increased by €37. Motor tax increased again in 2003 by a further 5%. The House knows of the increases in commercial rates, which have soared way beyond inflation. This is what the Government calls keeping down personal and business taxes. The Minister should talk to the owners of small businesses who will tell him they are being taxed out of existence.

Ireland is now the most expensive country in Europe in which to live. Fine Gael has set up a website, ripoff.ie, which has received thousands of hits and hundreds of e-mails from all over the country. We have led campaigns on stealth taxes, the price of insurance and soft drinks and the ripping off of Irish customers by British chain stores. Ireland has gone from fourth in 2000 to 30th this year in the World Economic Forum's global competitiveness report.