Paul Bradford (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator Healy Eames in her call for a debate on the taxation system. She echoed what I said here a fortnight ago to the Minister for Finance when we debated the universal social charge. I raised the matter with him on the basis that I vividly recall, both the Government when introducing the USC and the Opposition in responding to its introduction, all saying that the tax would be a temporary measure. Now it has been firmly put on record as a permanent part of our taxation system yet we wonder why people have lost faith in politics, in politicians and in the democratic process. I also came in here because I heard many colleagues mention the threat to our democracy. Once politicians do not live up to their words and deeds that is the beginning of the ruination of democracy. Therefore, I support the call for a debate on taxation.

I join with my colleagues in condemning the excess shown at the protest at the weekend. I agree very much with our learned colleague from County Louth, Senator Jim D'Arcy, and share his views on the champagne socialist who headed the march.

Last week, I mentioned the fact that we were celebrating the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. I am sure Deputy Paul Murphy and his colleagues in the Socialist Party and that ilk wish that the Berlin Wall and all it stood for was still standing.

They, in their Trotsky, Marxist view of the world, have absolutely nothing in common with genuine, working class people on this island.

I hope everyone will learn lessons from the water bills crisis. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, has said that major mistakes have been made. We will have an announcement tomorrow from the Government. However, I hope that as part of that announcement - if we respect democracy and the democratic process - the mistakes the Minister is referring to and the people who made those mistakes will be identified. We must learn from this disaster. We all stand shoulder to shoulder with the Tánaiste and, indeed, anyone who is being put under unfair pressure by mob rule. We must never give in to mob rule in this country. We did not give into the mob rule of the provisional IRA in the 1960s, 70s or 80s.