Margaret Cox (Fianna Fail)

A state exists where innocent people are living in fear and anxiety, where one is guilty until proven innocent, and where banks and other financial institutions can wash their hands of situations into which they enticed people over the years. If I was to assert that the state in question was Ireland, would Members sit up and take notice? Are Members aware that all over the country, men and women, widows and widowers and elderly people live in fear of next Monday, 23 May, when they must prove their innocence to the Revenue Commissioners?

The Minister for Finance must come to this House and defend the appalling policy that is currently being implemented whereby people are obliged to go back 20 years to prove that policies taken out for terms of ten years at £10 per week were not set up with hot money. People whose husbands or wives have died — this is an important point — should have a chance to state that they cannot prove this point as the relevant bank records and Revenue records are no longer available. This is what is happening and it is absolutely ridiculous. Other Members may think it is good enough, but I do not. Hot money does exist and Members do not agree with stashing money in offshore accounts and the like. However, ordinary innocent people should not be the ones who must prove their innocence. This is not good enough.