Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the news from the Minister of State responsible for the OPW, Deputy Brian Hayes, that Derrynane House will remain open this season. The Minister of State is a great believer in and follower of Daniel O'Connell, "the Liberator", the man who was accredited by none other than William Wilburforce as being instrumental in Catholic emancipation and the abolition of slavery.

I ask the Leader to organise a debate on the forthcoming property tax. Although the Minister for Finance was present in the House to deal with the relevant legislation, the debate was guillotined and we did not get to consider all sections of the legislation.

From what we hear and read in the newspapers, what is becoming apparent is that the shambles which will be the valuations done by the Revenue Commissioners will fall firmly on the heads of the 1.6 million people who will receive these letters in March. We were told that those who received a valuation from the Revenue Commissioners but who knew their property was worth less than the valuation could go back to the Revenue Commissioners and give a valuation. We now read that if the Revenue Commissioners send a letter giving a certain valuation and if the person pays the amount due on that valuation, the Revenue Commissioners reserve the right to go back to the person and say the house has been undervalued. Penalties and fines will be imposed on that person, even though the Revenue Commissioners will have done the valuation.