Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will explain to the Senator. In the pre-budget submission we made in the Shelbourne Hotel in December 2010 before we came to government, which I remember very well because I was one of the parties responsible for writing it, we made a clear and absolute commitment to introduce the levy because we knew to be credible as an incoming government we had to state where we would get the money for the jobs and stimulus fund. We stated it in opposition and in the manifesto and we are doing it in government. The big issue for the industry at the time was the question of obtaining tax relief at the marginal rate, which remains in place. We have created this additional pool of money which has made a big difference at 9%, and hey presto everyone in opposition wants to keep 9% rate-----