Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

The amendment is a piece of political gamesmanship, and Opposition parties will always do that. When the debate was about water and service charges no party was stronger in its opposition to such charges than the Senator's, yet his party colleagues are introducing all of these charges.

It is important that we can expand the tax base. If we are to try to keep income taxes low and taxes and levies on work low, we must broaden the tax base. This modest charge is helpful in that regard. I look forward to hearing the Minister's view on this poverty index. If we were strict in applying it to every tax and levy and to every application for social assistance, medical card and so forth, 95% of the people would be covered by it. In the real world it is not possible to accept the Sinn Féin amendment, but perhaps the Minister will comment on this index and whether he considers €75,000 a fair figure. In my view a person with an income of €75,000 is reasonably well off, to put it mildly.