David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

One might as well say it does not impact directly on the weather. It is like saying we are grateful that the sun will come out and shine when it feels like it, that the weather can piss rain on us when it feels like it but that it is not affected by the local property tax. It is not but why should it be? It impacts on house owners. What about people - I declare an interest - like me? Luckily, I can afford to pay these taxes for the time being but when I retire with the very reduced pension I get from this place I may not be about to do so. That is thanks to the cowardice of the Government in giving in and letting the Civil Service off with all their increments, allowances and every other bloody thing but stripping everything away from us here. We are less than the majority of middle-ranking civil servants. That is what the Government thinks of us. Civil servants, having managed to stream all their allowances into their income and preserve their increments, are now, according to The Sunday Business Post, determined to get away from us and sever the link completely because we are so stupid and mealy-mouthed about being paid a decent wage. There will soon be a situation where only wealthy people or people of independent means will be able to come into this place.