Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael)

I welcome Senator Boyle's statement that there are anomalies in the legislation. If the Government parties accept this, why were they not rectified? Why were the amendments tabled by Fine Gael not accepted in the Dáil? It is disgraceful for a Member on the Government side to admit there are anomalies, say they will be corrected some time over the coming year and expect those who are subject to them to put up with them.

Senator Boyle also stated Fine Gael was playing to the gallery and it had not put forward hard proposals. That is nonsensical. At this time of national crisis, the Government parties should examine the proposals made by Fine Gael because they are tough and do not play to the gallery. However, we did not receive a respectful hearing from the Government on any of them. Government Members should not mention national partnership when they have not reached out or reacted to the proposals made in good faith by us. They should not say we are playing to the gallery because we are not and we have put forward tough, constructive proposals. We were the first to suggest a pay freeze in the public sector, which is not easy to recommend. That is tough medicine for the public sector and it was tough for Deputy Bruton to propose this. The proposals deserve respect because they are proactive and constructive.

This is a time of national crisis and the political system is under severe scrutiny. It has been found wanting but this is a two-way street and the Government must respond to constructive proposals. It is extraordinarily distressing when going house to house to meet the number of people who have lost their jobs or who are on a two-day or a three-day week and who do not know how they will cope. The major problem is not the levy per se but the context in which it is being sold. It is not perceived as fair and equitable because a package of measures has not been introduced across the board. People will not experience it as being fair and they do not believe every sector is being targeted.

The Commission on Taxation's work should be brought forward as we need a comprehensive package of measures, not the current drip feed. Everyone should be asked to sacrifice and to play a part.