TDs tell Minister to take care of the poor

The Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, has been told by Fianna Fáil backbenchers to give whatever money he has in the Budget to the poor.

TDs urged Mr McCreevy yesterday to close off tax loopholes and avoidance schemes that benefit mainly the wealthy, and to give the money back to the less well off.

Some speakers urged the Minister to examine his social conscience and to "be hard but fair".

Some of the 19 TDs who spoke at a meeting of the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party suggested that the tax-free status currently enjoyed by artists and writers be brought to an end.

There were also appeals to Mr McCreevy to change the rules in relation to the bloodstock industry.

However, one TD, Mr Noel Davern, from Tipperary South, made a case for the bloodstock industry and urged the Minister to protect it.

He said if the tax-free status were taken away from the industry, it could go to the wall.

There were mixed views from backbenchers about taxing of child benefit, with the case being made for and against the Minister going down this road.

One TD told The Irish Times afterwards that the call went out loud and clear to Mr McCreevy that more equity was needed.

"We know that there is still a lot of pain to be taken, but we told him he must look after the less well off. He was told to tighten up everything and to introduce more fairness in the tax system.

"We sent the message that whatever he has to give out in the Budget, make sure the poor get it."

Mr McCreevy said that the Budget would be part two of a process which started with the publication of the Estimates two weeks ago.

"We certainly got the feeling that there will be no major shocks coming down the tracks.

"Having taken a particular line with the Estimates, the Budget will follow the same way, was the message," one TD said.