Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am glad you have ruled on that, because I was referring to the recent budget submissions, in respect of the 3% tax that the Labour Party did not manage to get across the line in its negotiations with Fine Gael on the budget. Those people are better heeled. In my view, they were expecting an additional hit and could shoulder that burden, yet we chose to ignore it. I very much regret that we did that, because I would gladly pay additional tax even at my salary - €65,000 - to ensure the relative security and health of the elderly and less well off. That is something we should have examined.

Whether or not they have a few shillings in the bank, people in their 70s, under this probity review, are being forced to fill out forms and consider a situation that should not apply to them at this stage in their life.

As I said on Second Stage, in view of the relatively positive signals and signs of additional taxation coming in to the Exchequer, we ought to look elsewhere to try to make the savings required. Everybody understands that savings are required and cutbacks have to be made. What divides us is how that is done. If the whip were removed, I do not think anybody would truly embrace this particular measure as one that is fairer than others that would affect people who are better heeled to shoulder that burden. I will not speak again until the end. Suffice to say we are utterly opposed to this level of adjustment for people in the relative autumn of their lives.