Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

I accept that totally. I often wonder at the cases one reads about in newspapers of people living on the margins who have been imprisoned because they were perhaps driven by need to engage in social welfare fraud. On the other hand, a person in an important corporate position who has been involved in wrongdoing will not usually end up in the same situation. There are two types of cases.

However, we as politicians should not go down the road of questioning the separation of powers. If the law is not right and is in any way distinguishing between those who are well off and those who are disadvantaged, we as politicians have a moral obligation to change it. I advise Senator Ryan that cursing the dark is not the way forward. In addressing the last part of the Opposition motion, the Minister outlined in detail all that the Government has done in this area. It is taking the necessary steps, including legislation, to ensure that tax offenders are prosecuted through the courts. The caveat is that there seems to be a widespread perception that a person with money will avoid penal sanctions while those without are more likely to be given a custodial sentence.

I repeat the question put by Senator Mansergh. Why is there such an obsession with putting people in prison? As the Minister of State observed, the raison d'être of the Revenue Commissioners is to collect tax. If they can successfully reclaim the tax owed by a person and extract suitable penalties, where is the logic in calling for a custodial sentence? The type of philosophy embodied in this motion is illogical.