David Norris (Independent)

As so often happens, I was moved by the stirring words of Senator Harris and agree with much of what he had to say. He spoke about arithmetic, common sense and compassion. Regrettably, this House has traditionally had little impact on budgetary matters; in fact, we are confined constitutionally in the changes we can make. Thus, I will try to concentrate on the third of the items mentioned - compassion. Once again, the most vulnerable elements of our society will be trampled on, to the encouraging cheers of the IMF and the ratings agencies - I can never understand why they have not been discredited. I ask my colleagues to join me and Senator Bacik and sign my motion condemning, for example, the 50 cent prescription charge which has been extended to the terminally ill and the homeless. How is that tolerable in what is described in the Constitution as a Christian country?

This House is the appropriate place in which to consider the detailed implications of some measures being considered such as the proposal to amalgamate PRSI, the health contribution and the income levy into one universal social charge. In this regard, an academic paper has just been published which demonstrates clearly that the net impact would be that the bottom 10% would suffer a drop of just over 2% in their incomes, while the highest 10% would gain almost 2%. That would not be appropriate. It is in this area that the House can have an impact and I hope that is what we will do. We have a responsibility to consider those who are suffering. I am sure every Member receives the e-mails I do about people who are under so much pressure that they wonder whether life is worth living at all. We must give such individuals a headline.