David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I again call for a debate in the House on taxation. We will have a budget in October this year and it would be welcome and worthwhile for this House to have a full debate on taxation in all its facets.

The issue of corporation tax has been raised on a number of occasions in the House over the past number of weeks. It would be good for us to debate the overall taxation system, including corporate taxes, indirect taxes such as the property tax and proposals for fair and progressive taxation.

I will avoid responding directly to Senator Hayden's enthusiastic welcome for the progressive property tax. The reality is many families will not give the tax an enthusiastic welcome because they are genuinely struggling. Whatever about the cut and thrust of politics in the House, families arrive into our clinics every week who find it hard to pay the mortgage and bills and to purchase groceries, food and clothes for their children. They do not have the money to pay more taxes. They have found that the Government has brought forward draconian mechanisms to take money from them and even if they do not or cannot pay, it will be taken from their wages, social welfare payments, bank accounts or through whatever other means the Government can take it. I want a debate on progressive taxation. While the Labour Party might give an enthusiastic welcome to a property tax that is not linked to ability to pay and through which not one more cent will be delivered to a local authority in additional funding-----