Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit ar ais go dti an Teach. I thank the Minister of State for his detailed explanation of the legislation, which copperfastens and reinforces a terribly unfair and savage budget. However, I welcome a number of provisions such as the abolition of the travel tax and the home improvements credit. More should have been done about providing early access to pension funds and I encourage the Minister of State to continue to work on that. The take-up of last year's budget measure to provide access to additional voluntary contributions in such funds has been minimal. Are figures available from Revenue in this regard? An enhanced early access provision could play an important role in allowing people to pay down their debt and make their futures more sustainable. I previously proposed this measure in writing to the Government, including an additional surcharge for such access and it should be examined.

The remaining Stages of the Bill will be guillotined tomorrow, as they will all be taken in one block. I will oppose that because that is not the way to do business. Neither is it the way the Government parties promised they would do business when they took up office and there is no need for it. I will raise that on the Order of Business in the morning.

Anyone who is prudent and responsible has been whacked by the budget. Anyone with savings, a pension or private health insurance has been penalised. Section 8 provides for a reduction in tax relief on private health insurance. The Minister of State did not mention the "gold-plated" private health insurance arrangements referred to by the Minister for Finance on budget day in his contribution. I raised this with the Minister when we had the budget debate and the Government now agrees 90% of policies will be affected by this change.

It is a fact-----