Seanad debates

Thursday, 10 December 2015

Finance Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed)

 

10:30 am

Photo of David CullinaneDavid Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is the level of response this House gets from the Minister on this issue. I am flattered that should the Department examine the possibility of a wealth tax it would only do so on the basis of work done by Deputy Pearse Doherty, a document I am sure the Minister has read, and which Deputy Doherty has brought forward to the Dáil. I remind the Minister that I am not asking him to accept this proposal based on what Sinn Féin is proposing and, if he leaves Sinn Féin's proposals outside the door, I will read to the Minister what is proposed. Like any Bill or legislative measure brought forward by Government or the Opposition there may be flaws, questions, concerns or issues but they get examined. We are calling for a report on the options so all of the concerns about cows, farm sheds and all of that nonsense raised by the Minister would and could be looked at.

The proposal seeks a report on options available for the introduction of a comprehensive asset tax and that it shall include options for the collation of data. The Minister has said it is impossible to collect the data from the information we have provided but he should get the data from his own information, from how he and his Department would categorise wealth, not using Sinn Féin's categorisation. The report would also include definitions of categories of wealth to be included in such legislation. This would cite all the definitions which the Minister had said would be problematic. We could then examine the definitions to see if they were to be included. The proposed collection method could also be examined. All of these topics would then become a matter for debate.

The Minister has simply acted the maggot with Sinn Féin's proposals and has not taken the substance of the recommendation or done the work required. I believe the people are entitled to have this analysis done if they call for it and are earnestly trying to get information. There is a duty on the Department to provide the information. The Minster should not look at this recommendation solely in the context of what Sinn Féin is putting forward. There are other organisations and people, including TASC, the Nevin Economic Research Institute and the trade unions who have also called for a wealth tax and they may have different opinions and classifications and different ways of doing it.

We are looking for a report on the options. The Minister cannot say that it is not possible. It is not possible because the Minister does not have the political will to do it. It has not been done because the will is not there to do it. Yes, we will have that debate in the election, but it should not come down to elections. It is wrong that the Minister has just brought this back to the election, that it will only be decided at election time and that we do not even have the ability to have options on the table. I will not press the recommendation as I will look to resubmit it on Report Stage. It is worthy of more consideration from the Minister and maybe he might reflect, come back to the House on Report Stage and we will have the debate again.

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