VOTING INTENTIONS:THREE INDEPENDENT TDs who normally support the Government yesterday threatened to vote against the Finance Bill.
Tipperary North deputy Michael Lowry, Kerry South TD Jackie-Healy Rae and former Fianna Fáil backbencher Mattie McGrath of Tipperary South said they were opposed to elements of the proposed legislation.
Mr McGrath yesterday confirmed he would contest the general election as an Independent. He lost the Fianna Fáil whip for voting against the law to ban stag hunting with packs of hounds last June.
Mr Lowry said he had informed Taoiseach Brian Cowen he would not support the Finance Bill in its present form and insisted a general election should be called immediately.
Mr Lowry said he had requested changes to the universal social charge measure and a rethink of the decision to bring forward the preliminary tax payment date from the October 31st to September 30th.
He said he had called for the Bill to allow for the taxation set-off of student fees against income. He also said it was impossible to justify the omission of the 90 per cent tax on what he called “obscene bankers’ bonuses”.
“In the coming week, I will not participate in a charade designed, not for the national interest, but staged by those who want to gain party political advantage against a background of a collapsed and powerless Government. Stability needs to be restored and the only way that can happen is for a general election to be called immediately,” Mr Lowry said.
“I honoured my arrangements with the Government and in fairness the Government have delivered on its commitments to me. I have seen the Government unravel and disintegrate. I’ve witnessed the mind-boggling blunders that have been made. I have watched the irrational behaviour and illogical decisions of the Green Party.”
Mr Lowry said he had “no obligation or responsibility to now support a dysfunctional government” and was “not culpable or in any way to blame for the sequence of political events which have crippled this Government”.
Mr Healy-Rae said his position on the Finance Bill was the same as that of Mr Lowry. Mr McGrath said he could not guarantee he would support the proposed legislation. “I’m not happy with the universal social charge; changes to PRSI; and changes to the assessment time for self-employed people who are making tax returns,” Mr McGrath said.
Meanwhile, Minister of State Martin Mansergh said he regretted his constituency colleague’s resignation from Fianna Fáil. Mr Mansergh said he wished Mr McGrath well, but insisted “a national party has far more enduring influence than any ad hoc group of Independents, whether centre-right or hard-left”.
