Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I ask the Leader for a debate on universal access to public services. There has been much talk on universality in the wake of last week's budget because the Government is clearly set on attacking the principle of universal access to public services and introducing a means test for a range of benefits. In saying this, I include the signal by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Lenihan, last week that he would be reviewing the universal payment of child benefit. There is immense fear and confusion, particularly among the elderly but also among other sectors, who fear all kinds of other benefits could well be subject to a means test and no longer granted on a universal basis.

There was another way to ensure the rich would pay more and that was simply to tax them more. However, the Government did not do so and instead took the dishonest step of imposing a levy, which is a very crude instrument. A simple levy of 1% applies to those earning up to €100,000 and a levy of 2% applies to those earning over that amount. This does not tax the rich sufficiently. Doing so would be a fairer way to raise revenue rather than withdrawing public benefits. We need a debate on universality to determine the Government's true ideology and what it really believes about universal access to public services.

We have seen U-turns in respect of various measures in the budget. There appears to be one in respect of the Civil Partnership Bill. We saw the heads and were promised the Bill itself would be published this September. What has happened to it? Are we to see yet another U-turn by the Government?