Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael)

The Finance Bill contains no jobs stimulus package or incentives to reward entrepreneurship. For the public sector worker, there is a further accentuation of the 2008 taxation measures and the 2009 budget measures. The Government has successfully waged a war on the public sector worker. It has wrongly demonised those workers, accentuating the divide between the private and public sectors.

The Government has also intentionally created stealth taxes through road tolls, bin charges, parking fees and increased VAT. If we must rebalance the economy, it must be done equitably. I am glad we have gotten rid of the over-reliance on revenues from the construction and property sectors. That boom would never sustain us in the future. I am appalled, however, as I am sure many colleagues are, at the distress experienced by many who attend my advice centres regarding their homes. They were forced to buy property in the middle of a boom but now face negative equity with many of them already having suffered a cut in hours at work, in their salaries or their jobs. Many friends of mine who work in the public sector have been forced to make practical not exotic choices with what they do with their disposable income. Do they go out on Friday night or stay at home? Do they buy for their children or for the household on such a week?

Earlier Senator Donohoe made the point money is being hoarded by people because they are afraid to invest it. Consumer confidence is at an all-time low.