Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

To be fair, one would have to extend the measure to the balls and instruments in all sports, not just hurleys.

Although I understand it is still subject to clearance, I welcome the new stallion stud fee regime. The positive way of considering this issue is to acknowledge that for 40 years a fantastic incentive has been in place which has moved the industry in Ireland from what was a very middling position in the 1950s and 1960s to one where, while we use the term too often, we genuinely are world class. I commend the Minister and his officials, first, for giving adequate notice of the change of regime and, second, for working out a viable regime which will help the industry to maintain its lead position in the world. Unlike some, although I do not live in the Shannon area, I commend the Minister on his incentives for the region as it is a potentially important area. I am also glad to see him make special provisions in the heritage area for Cork. It is right to be explicit about the beneficiaries of these provisions. The extension of the childminders' tax exemption is pragmatic and sensible. In light of experience, the original exemption of €10,000 has been adjusted to €15,000 for this badly needed service. I approve of the tapering out of various construction provisions, but feel the incentive for sheltered housing for the elderly is worth keeping.

Underestimation can be put down to the caution of the Department of Finance. I do not believe the Minister uses the red pencil on Revenue projections or adjusts them downwards at the beginning of the year. Neither he nor his predecessors would do that. There may be a subliminal element of the Department of Finance trying to keep the rest of the country under control, especially in buoyant conditions, but I would not criticise the Minister for that.

I was amused by the inclusion of the offence of impersonating a Revenue official. When I was very young I played an April fool's joke — this was at the time of the wealth tax — and sent my uncle a letter purporting to come from a Revenue official, which mentioned getting all his property ready for inspection and assessment in successive slices. I am sure he was not amused. If this provision had been available, he might have been tempted to make use of it.