Michael McCarthy (Labour)

Does the Leader consider it fair that young gardaí, teachers and nurses will now have to hand over an additional €300 or €400 per month to the Exchequer as a result of the pension levy? Meanwhile, a consultant in a private clinic has only to bear an additional income levy of 1%. Is that fair?

I conclude by saying that I do not believe Senator O'Toole is ignorant. One could never level that type of allegation at a Kerryman. As a former Tánaiste from Kerry said in Dáil Éireann some years ago, "When you are as ignorant as we are on this side of the House, you have to be very clever."