Caít Keane (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State. Further to what Senator Ó Domhnaill said about the short notice we received on this Bill, I would welcome improvements in this regard because some of us had to burn the midnight oil last night to get up to speed on it. It is not a nice thing to be required to do. Given that the Senator intends to oppose the Bill because it does not offer sufficient exemptions, I presume he supports the principle of a property tax. For the past several years there has been speculation about the possibility that a property tax would be introduced. Property tax is not a recent innovation in this country. The rates levied until the late 1980s or 1990s were a form of property tax. I am surprised that the Senator is surprised.