Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)

I agree with many colleagues that the deadline for paying the €100 household charge should be extended to 1 September. The issue has been badly handled from the outset and no amount of burying one's heads in the sand - I refer in particular to the Minister in this regard - will solve the difficulties that have been created. Will the Leader confirm that the decision to impose the household charge was made by the Government on the basis of a recommendation from the Minister and not imposed on us by the troika, as the Minister has repeatedly argued, most recently this morning? I ask for such confirmation by way of clarification for Members and the general public.

Yesterday was a black day in Cavan because, as of midnight, the town no longer has an operational barracks for the first time since 1780. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Defence to the House to answer some simple questions. On Monday, an Army march out of Clonmel Barracks was witnessed by tens of thousands of people. Similarly, the Army will march out of Mullingar Barracks later today in front of thousands of people. Why did it not march out of Dún Uí Neill barracks in Cavan? Why were the gates locked while the flag was lowered and the "Last Post" played? Why were families of serving members of the Defence Forces and former soldiers, some of whom retired only a couple of weeks ago, refused entry to the barracks? Why did a proud band of men and women not march out of the barracks yesterday?