Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 30 Jan 1991

Vol. 404 No. 4

Financial Resolutions, 1991. - Financial Resolution No. 3: Excise — Mechanically Propelled Vehicles.

The Taoiseach

I move Financial Resolution No. 3:

(1) THAT the Finance (Excise Duties) (Vehicles) Act, 1952 (No. 24 of 1952), shall, as respects licences under section 1 of that Act taken out for periods beginning on or after the 1st day of April, 1991, be amended in Part I of the Schedule thereto—

(a) by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph 1 (as amended by the Finance Act, 1983 (No. 15 of 1983)):

"1. Vehicles of the following descriptions not exceeding 500 kilograms in weight unladen:

(a) bicycles (other than bicycles which are electrically propelled), or tricycles (other than tricycles neither constructed nor adapted for use nor used for the carriage of a passenger), of which the cylinder capacity of the engine—

(i) does not exceed 75 cubic centimetres, £10;

(ii) exceeds 75 cubic centimetres but does not exceed 200 cubic centimetres, £20;

(iii) exceeds 200 cubic centimetres, £40;

(b) bicycles or tricycles which are electrically propelled, £10;

(c) vehicles with three or more wheels neither constructed nor adapted for use nor used for the carriage of a driver or passenger, £40.";

(b) by the deletion of subparagraph (a) in paragraph 3;

(c) by the substitution of the following subparagraph for subparagraph (b) of paragraph 3 (as amended by the Finance Act, 1985 (No. 10 of 1985)):

"(b) Vehicles (other than those referred to in subparagraph (c) of this paragraph) used as large public service vehicles within the meaning of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, and having seating capacity for—

(i) more than 8 persons but not more than 20 persons, £100;

(ii) more than 20 persons but not more than 40 persons, £160;

(iii) more than 40 persons but not more than 60 persons, £220;

(iv) more than 60 persons, £280.";

(d) by the substitution of the following subparagraph for subparagraph (c) of paragraph 3:

"(c) Vehicles which are large public service vehicles within the meaning of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, and which are used only for the carriage of children, or children and teachers, being carried to or from school or to or from school-related physical education activities, and are either licensed under Article 60 of the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) Regulations, 1963 (S.I. No. 191 of 1963), as amended, or owned or operated by a statutory transport undertaking, £50";

(e) by the substitution of "£35" for "£30" (inserted by the Finance Act, 1985) in each place where it occurs in paragraph 4;

(f) by the substitution of "£90" for "£75" (inserted by the Finance Act, 1983) in subparagraph (d) of paragraph 4;

(g) by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph 4A (as amended by the Finance Act, 1983 (No. 15 of 1983)):

"4A Vehicles (commonly known as dumpers) not exceeding 3 metres cubed in capacity, level loaded, designed and constructed for use on sites of construction works (including road construction and house and other building works) for the purpose of conveying concrete, rubble, earth or other like material where the person taking out the licence shows to the satisfaction of the licensing authority that the vehicle is used mainly on such sites, and on public roads only—

(a) for the purpose of proceeding to and from the site where it is to be used, and when so proceeding neither carries nor hauls any load other than such as is necessary for its propulsion or equipment, or

(b) for the purpose of conveying concrete, rubble, earth or like material for a distance of not more than one kilometre to and from any such site, £40";

(h) by the substitution of "£300" for "£250" in paragraph 4B (inserted by the Finance Act, 1983);

(i) by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph 5 (inserted by the Finance Act, 1983):

"5. Vehicles (including tricycles weighing more than 500 kilograms unladen) constructed or adapted for use and used for the conveyance of goods or burden of any other description in the course of trade or business (including agriculture and the performance by a local or public authority of its functions) and vehicles constructed or adapted for use and used for the conveyance of a machine, workshop, contrivance or implement by or in which goods being conveyed by such vehicles are processed or manufactured while the vehicles are in motion:

(a) being vehicles which are electrically propelled and which do not exceed 1,500 kilograms in weight unladen, £40;

(b) being vehicles which are not such electrically propelled vehicles as aforesaid and which have a weight unladen—

(i) not exceeding 3,000 kilograms, £100;

(ii) exceeding 3,000 kilograms but not exceeding 4,000 kilograms, £140;

(iii) exceeding 4,000 kilograms but not exceeding 5,000 kilograms, £180;

(iv) exceeding 5,000 kilograms but not exceeding 6,000 kilograms, £250;

(v) exceeding 6,000 kilograms but not exceeding 7,000 kilograms, £340;

(vi) exceeding 7,000 kilograms but not exceeding 8,000 kilograms, £430;

(vii) exceeding 8,000 kilograms, £430 plus £100 for each 1,000 kilograms or part thereof in excess of 8,000 kilograms.";

(j) by the substitution of the following subparagraph for subparagraph (c) of paragraph 6:

"(c) any vehicle (other than a vehicle constructed or adapted for use and used for the conveyance of a machine, workshop, contrivance or implement, by or in which goods being conveyed by such vehicles are processed or manufactured while the vehicles are in motion) constructed or adapted for use and used only for the conveyance of a machine, workshop, contrivance or implement (being a machine, workshop, contrivance or implement which is built in as part of the vehicle or otherwise permanently attached thereto) and no other load except articles used in connection with such machine, workshop, contrivance or implement or goods processed or manufactured therein, £40";

(k) the substitution of the following subparagraphs, respectively, for subparagraphs (ci), (cii), (ciii), (civ) and (cv) (inserted by the Finance Act, 1985) of paragraph 6:

(ci) vehicles (commonly known as forklift trucks) designed and constructed for the purpose of loading and unloading goods where the person taking out the licence shows to the satisfaction of the licensing authority that the vehicle is used on public roads only—

(a) for the purpose of proceeding to and from the site where it is to be used for loading and unloading, and when so proceeding neither carries nor hauls any load other than such as is necessary for its propulsion or equipment, or

(b) as part of the process of loading or unloading, for the purpose of conveying goods for a distance of not more than one kilometre to and from the site where it is loading or unloading, £40;

(cii) any vehicle which is used as a hearse and for no other purpose, £50;

(ciii) any vehicle (excluding a taxi) which is used a a small public service vehicle within the meaning of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, and for no other purpose, £50;

(civ) any vehicle which is fitted with a taximeter and is lawfully used as a street service vehicle within the meaning of the Road Traffic Act, 1961, and for purposes incidental to such user and for no other purpose, £50;

(cv) vehicles constructed or adapted for the carriage of more than eight persons which are owned by a youth or community organisation and which are used exclusively by the organisation solely for the purpose of conveying persons on journeys directly related to the activities of the organisation and which have seating capacity for—

(i) more than 8 persons but not more than 20 persons, £100;

(ii) more than 20 persons but not more than 40 persons, £160;

(iii) more than 40 persons but not more than 60 persons, £220;

(iv) more than 60 persons, £280";

(l) by the substitution of the following for subparagraph (d) (as amended by the Finance Act, 1986) of paragraph 6:

"(d) other vehicles to which this paragraph applies—

not exceeding 1,000 cubic centimetres, £77;

exceeding 1,000 cubic centimetres but not exceeding 1,500 cubic centimetres, £10.50 per 100 cubic centimetres or part thereof;

exceeding 1,500 cubic centimetres but not exceeding 1,700 cubic centimetres, £12 per 100 cubic centimetres or part thereof;

exceeding 1,700 cubic centimetres but not exceeding 2,000 cubic centimetres, £13 per 100 cubic centimetres or part thereof;

exceeding 2,000 cubic centimetres but not exceeding 2,500 cubic centimetres, £16 per 100 cubic centimetres or part thereof;

exceeding 2,500 cubic centimetres, £18 per 100 cubic centimetres or part thereof;

electrically propelled, £77:

Provided that where the rate of duty so specified in any case equals a number of whole pounds and a fraction of a pound the fraction of a pound shall be regarded as a whole pound.".

(2) THAT the Finance Act, 1973 (No. 19 of 1973), shall be amended in section 94 by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (2) thereof with effect from the 1st day of April, 1991:

"(2) The duty imposed by subsection (1) of this section shall be at the following rates:

(a) £10 in relation to a vehicle to which paragraph 1 of Part I of the Schedule to the said Act applies;

(b) £20 in relation to a vehicle to which subparagraph (ciii), (civ) or (d) of paragraph 6 of Part I of the Schedule to the said Act applies and which is electrically propelled or has an engine capacity not exceeding 2,000 cubic centimetres;

(c) £40 in relation to any vehicle to which paragraph (a) or (b) of this subsection does not relate:

Provided that the duty imposed by subsection (1) of this section shall not be chargeable or leviable in relation to a vehicle in respect of which a duty of excise under section 1 of the said Act is not chargeable or leviable.".

(3) THAT the Finance (Excise Duties) (Vehicles) Act, 1952 shall, as respects licences under section 1 of that Act taken out for periods beginning on or after the 1st day of april, 1991, be amended by the substitution of "£70 or less" for "forty pounds or less" (inserted by the Finance Act, 1983) in subparagraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 1.

(4) IT is hereby declared that it is expedient in the public interest that this Resolution shall have statutory effect under the provisions of the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act, 1927 (No. 7 of 1927).

First I would like to apologise to the House for a printing error which is in the Resolution. On page 6, the second line of paragraph (ciii) should read as follows: "which is used as a small public service vehicle". The "s" in the word "as" was left out. This Financial Resolution provides for an increase of about 10 per cent in the annual road tax for the bulk of private cars and there are higher increases for larger cars; the restructuring of the road tax duty bands applicable to goods vehicles and for increases in the rates of duty; the restructuring of road tax applicable to taxis, tractors and the like and for increases in the duty; increases in some of the initial registration charges applicable to vehicles; and finally an increase in the threshold below which the option to pay road tax on a part year basis does not apply from £40 to £70. The changes will take place from 1 April 1991.

Mr. G. Mitchell

I move amendment No. 1:

In pages 4 and 5, subsection (1), to delete paragraph (i).

We are opposed to this section almost in its entirety. However, Fine Gael are not opposed to the provisions for vintage cars. If anybody owns a car which is over 30 years old, good luck to them. It is very clear that the private and the business motorists are already being crucified by the cost of motor vehicles, public service vehicles and freight charges. These are very severe at present and we believe the present increases are not justified.

In the case of small public service vehicles, the tax which up until now was £24 is being increased to £50 and this is a very dramatic increase. Freight carriage costs are being increased substantially. Not only is the tax for the small public service vehicle and for private and business cars being increased but the tax on hearses is being increased dramatically from £26 to £50.

We object to this subsection primarily because it does nothing for job creation. It is no excuse to say that because the last increase in the tax on goods vehicles was in 1983 and that it is now timely to increase it. The fact is that 125,000 containers per year are collected by Northern Ireland carriers from as far south as Cork, they are then carried across the Border and travel to Britain via Larne, Belfast or Warrenpoint and are delivered as far south as London. That is more economical than for a carrier from the Republic to export these goods via the central or southern corridor. This is already costing the State £56 million per year in lost revenue. This has been clearly documented. Yet, here we are increasing the costs to freight carriers and business in general when we should be seeking to reduce costs.

At present transport costs to Irish industry at nine per cent is twice the European average and it has been estimated by the Confederation of Irish Industry that these costs equal a penalty of something in the order of £500 million to Irish industry. Our big problem in terms of jobs is access to the marketplace in the context of 1992. We have to transport our goods to the marketplace and it is important that we reduce the costs to industry but here we find a further increase in taxes on private cars, hearses, public service vehicles, freight carriage and business generally. This is a wholly unacceptable proposal. It should have been possible to find this revenue in some other way. The Budget Statement was remiss in barely mentioning employment but if we are serious about doing something about employment we must reduce the cost to industry, in particular the cost of transport because transport costs are already unacceptable.

We will be opposing this resolution with the exception of the references to vintage cars. I will ask the Government to accept our proposals to delete the paragraphs as they are draconian, anti-employment, anti-industry and they are an unacceptable further tax on an already hard-pressed private motorist.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Is it agreed that both amendments be discussed together? Agreed.

Mr. M. Higgins

The Labour Party are opposing Financial Resolution No. 3. Let me begin on a rather minor point. I came into this debate when the Taoiseach, admittedly as an ancillary argument, was making the point that the case for increasing the price of cigarettes and smoking in general was on health grounds, and it seems rather extraordinary that this was not extended, for example, to the relationship between drink and driving because the same kind of argument could be made that if you make drink more expensive you perhaps would assist the argument for careful driving. However, I agree that that is not germane to the point we are discussing here.

In my constituency of Galway West — people have been speaking about being from the western seaboard — let me dispose of a particular point as the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Flynn is in the House and he will recall meeting a group of people from several different parishes in Connemara, in particular, making a case on the state of the roads. You, Sir, are familiar with the state of the roads. People will read with some amusement the concession for vintage cars because they will argue that their rather newer cars can assume an aspect that is far more ancient, aged and dilapidated because of the appalling roads on which they have to travel. It is insulting to such people who have been told again and again that there are no special funds from Europe which can be used to develop roads in their area or regional funds which can be drawn on. They have also been told by Galway County Council that they are at the mercy of a Department of the environment allocation; they had gone to the trouble of meeting directly with the Minister for the Environment during Ireland's Presidency of the EC to ask him to come and inspect the state of the roads.

It is one of the unfortunate ironies perceived by those who live in the constituency of Galway West or who visit us that it is at once presented as a very scenic and attractive area and at the same time people driving to any of these areas see holes in the road in every single parish into which you could put a sack of potatoes. These people are now being asked to contribute to a general rise in the cost of taxing their vehicles. As regards the point that because there has not been an increase since 1986 in the case of private cars, let me say there has been a continual deterioration in the roads on which people have to travel. People know quite clearly that revenues that are raised will not go towards improvements of the roads on which they have to travel. They know that the money they will pay in addition will not relieve their plight and will not find its way to the local authority. They also know that the same arguments will be made by the local authority when they go on delegations as happened before. It is therefore fíor-mhasla do mhuintir Chonamara agus muintir na Gaeltachta agus rinne siadsan iarracht an rud a aimsiú don Aire agus do Airí eile ón Eoraip agus thug an tAire gealltanas go mbuailfeadh sé leo agus go mbeadh sé ag tabhairt cuairte ar na bóithre atá go fíor-dhona, mar shampla, sa Ghaeltacht. Níor deineadh san. I see this exercise as entirely cynical.

There is an additional argument in relation to the increased cost of using a private car. Anybody with a whit of sense in relation to regional planning knows that one of the greatest difficulties in developing regional initiatives, be it in terms of industry, manufacturing, services or whatever, is the state of the infrastructure. Where is there any commitment, if we were to pay more, that that point would be acknowledged? Does anybody care that one can gaily gather more money from motorists who are suffering in an individual sense but are also suffering in terms of a regional disincentive?

If the Taoiseach, in his capacity as Minister for the Gaeltacht, chooses to consult Údarás na Gaeltachta or the elected members they will quickly tell him about the real disincentive the roads are to their efforts at promoting their region. The position in any town or, in the case of Galway, regional capital, the people using their cars are mostly commuters. It is not a luxurious usage. Many people are sharing the costs of travel to and from work by making arrangements and so forth. For these people it is a net addition to their costs, a net reduction to their real income. The idea that private motorists can be regarded as an easy mark while at the same time the motorists, for all the other reasons, witnesses a net reduction in the facilities available to them is, to my mind, outrageous. In addition indirect hidden costs will creep in. This cost will be passed on for example in the form of increased tax charges. Elderly people coming from remote areas to visit the regional hospital and so forth will pay higher prices to taxis who will be glad to pass on this charge. This is an outrageous suggestion. For all those reasons, both localised and general, the Labour Party will be opposing this Resolution.

The Taoiseach

I am not necessarily concluding the debate; I just want to make a few points at this stage.

Mr. Rabbitte

Do we not vote at 8.45 p.m.?

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

That is the agreement of the House.

Mr. Rabbitte

I want two minutes.

The Taoiseach

Provided I get a chance for a few minutes after that.

Mr. Rabbitte

I do not want to repeat some of the points Deputy Higgins made but I agree with him. The Workers' Party will be opposing this Resolution because we think it is both economically and environmentally unsound. Deputy Higgins referred to the situation in Galway West. In my constituency which includes Tallaght, for example, we do not have a public transport option, and what is the PAYE worker who is bearing the brunt of taxation supposed to do? Now we want to penalise him for travelling to work in his car. There is no apparent discrimination in the measures — if such discrimination exists it is minimal — between public and private. For example, there is a specific section dealing with school buses and youth and community buses. The private motorist is hit in the fashion I have described. There is no discrimination of any significance as between the size of cars. The Minister is well aware of the pollution implications of the larger car as compared to the smaller car and, indeed, the implications for consumption of energy — an issue which was raised by Deputy Carey. I cannot see any merit in this proposal. It is fantastic that electronically propelled vehicles are included. I will give way, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, because the Taoiseach wants to reply.

The Taoiseach

I will deal briefly with the points raised and I will take the last one first. In fact, the increases have been structured to ensure that the larger the car the more one pays. In fact, one-quarter of all motorists with cars of 1,000 c.c. would pay £7 per year and I do not think that is totally outrageous. I take Deputy Mitchell's point about large heavy duty vehicles. The figures are quite extraordinary in regard to the heavy duty vehicles. We occupy a very favourable place in the EC table. After the budget the annual road tax on a typical heavy goods vehicle of 38 tonnes laden weight in Ireland will be £1,030 while in Britain it will be £3,985: £1,030 in Ireland versus £3,985 in Britain.

Mr. Carey

They have good roads. The money collected there goes to roads.

The Taoiseach

The climate is probably different too but I am talking in real money terms.

Mr. G. Mitchell

It is an additional transport cost.

The Taoiseach

Let us have a look at the price of motoring and what has been said about it. The first thing I want to say is that the increase of a typical figure of, say, £15 is about 10 per cent in the taxes. As against that, because of the reduction in VAT the motorist will save about £14 per annum on petrol: That is for a motorist doing 10,000 miles per annum at 35 miles per gallon, a typical average motorist.

Mr. Rabbitte

Obviously, 1977 was a long time ago.

The Taoiseach

The other point I want to make is that the reduction in VAT from 23 per cent to 21 per cent will result in a saving of around £200 on a new car costing about £10,000. Deputies opposite should keep the matter in perspective.

Mr. Carey

Can the Taoiseach tell us what the Resolution will yield?

The Taoiseach

There is a small increase in the duty but as against that there is a reduction in petrol and in the cost of new cars.

Mr. G. Mitchell

Is there anything wrong with that?

The Taoiseach

There is one final point I want to make in reply to Deputy Michael Higgins. For once he is way off the beam.

Mr. Byrne

He has come a long way since——

The Taoiseach

I would not say that is usual but this time Deputy Higgins is off the wall.

Mr. M. Higgins

We are talking about cars now.

The Taoiseach

This year we are spending the highest figure in the history of the State, £233 million, on roads. Let us take county roads. In 1986, which the Deputy mentioned and which is the base year for which we are operating on these increases, the Government the Deputy supported spent a miserly £15 million on county roads.

Mr. G. Mitchell

This is EC money which the Government are spending.

The Taoiseach

This year we will be spending £68 million on county roads. If Deputies look at the overall expenditure on roads they will see that there is an all time record figure of expenditure of £233 million. On county roads there was an increase from £15 million in 1986 to £68 million this year.

Mr. Carey

How much was the rate support grant in 1986?

The Taoiseach

Excuse me Deputy Carey, stick to the facts.

Mr. Carey

The Taoiseach is not comparing apples with apples.

The Taoiseach

Deputy Michael D. Higgins related this to expenditure on roads. I am answering his argument.

Mr. Carey

The rate support grant was added in 1986.

The Taoiseach

In view of the advent of the local elections the Deputy probably hates to hear these figures but he will hear them again and again.

Mr. Carey

I would be delighted to hear them. I would love to fill a pothole if the Taoiseach gave me the money to do it.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Tá sé in am chun an cheist a chur.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. Finucane

The Taoiseach is not listening to his advisers.

The Taoiseach

I ask you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, to please keep these disorderly Fine Gael backbenchers under control.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. Carey

If there was no spice in it, it would be no good.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Can I advise the House——

The Taoiseach

I am seeking, as is my duty, to give the House information and I am being prevented from doing so by the disorderly conduct of Fine Gael backbenchers.

Tomás Mac Giolla

The referee has blown his whistle.

The Taoiseach

The simple fact is that these are slight increases in the annual duties on road vehicles. As against that there will be considerable savings for motorists in the price of petrol and in the cost of new cars. We are spending vastly increased sums on all roads, including county roads.

Mr. Carey

Will the Taoiseach tell us how much Financial Resolution No. 3 will yield?

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

Gabh mo leithscéal, Deputy Carey. The Chair was somewhat inhibited——

Mr. Carey

I want to know how much Financial Resolution No. 3——

The Taoiseach

I name Deputy Carey for disorderly conduct.

(Interruptions.)

Mr. Allen

That is peevish.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

In so far as the House was having a discussion that was outside what had been agreed, the Chair was reluctant to intervene and correct anyone. I must now put the question. The question is: "That Financial Resolutions Nos. 1 and 2 are hereby agreed to, that the amendments put down to Financial Resolution No. 3 are hereby negatived and that Financial Resolution No. 3 is hereby agreed to." Question put.

The Dáil divided: Tá, 81; Níl, 75.

Tá

• Ahern, Bertie.
• Ahern, Dermot.
• Ahern, Michael.
• Andrews, David.
• Aylward, Liam.
• Barrett, Michael.
• Brady, Gerard.
• Brady, Vincent.
• Brennan, Mattie.
• Brennan, Sémus.
• Briscoe, Ben.
• Browne, John (Wexford).
• Burke, Raphael P.
• Calleary, Seán.
• Callely, Ivor.
• Clohessy, Peadar.
• Connolly, Ger.
• Coughlan, Mary Theresa.
• Cowen, Brian.
• Cullimore, Séamus.
• Daly, Brendan.
• Davern, Noel.
• Dempsey, Noel.
• Dennehy, John.
• de Valera, Síle.
• Ellis, John.
• Fahey, Frank.
• Fitzgerald, Liam Joseph.
• Fitzpatrick, Dermot.
• Flood, Chris.
• Flynn, Pádraig.
• Gallagher, Pat the Cope.
• Garland, Roger.
• Geoghegan-Quinn, Máire.
• Harney, Mary.
• Haughey, Charles J.
• Hillery, Brian.
• Hilliard, Colm.
• Hyland, Liam.
• Jacob, Joe.
• Kelly, Laurence.
• Kenneally, Brendan.
• Kirk, Séamus.
• Kitt, Michael P.
• Kitt, Tom.
• Lawlor, Liam.
• Lenihan, Brian.
• Leonard, Jimmy.
• Leyden, Terry.
• Martin, Micheál.
• McCreevy, Charlie.
• McDaid, Jim.
• McEllistrim, Tom.
• Molloy, Robert.
• Morley, P. J.
• Nolan, M. J.
• Noonan, Michael J. (Limerick West).
• O'Connell, John.
• O'Dea, Willie.
• O'Donoghue, John.
• O'Hanlon, Rory.
• O'Keeffe, Ned.
• O'Kennedy, Michael.
• O'Leary, John.
• O'Malley, Desmond J.
• O'Rourke, Mary.
• O'Toole, Martin Joe.
• Power, Seán.
• Quill, Máirín.
• Reynolds, Albert.
• Roche, Dick.
• Smith, Michael.
• Stafford, John.
• Treacy, Noel.
• Tunney, Jim.
• Wallace, Dan.
• Wallace, Mary.
• Walsh, Joe.
• Wilson, John P.
• Woods, Michael.
• Wyse, Pearse.

Níl

• Ahearn, Therese.
• Allen, Bernard.
• Barnes, Monica.
• Barrett, Seán.
• Barry, Peter.
• Bell, Michael.
• Belton, Louis J.
• Boylan, Andrew.
• Bradford, Paul.
• Browne, John (Carlow-Kilkenny).
• Bruton, John.
• Bruton, Richard.
• Doyle, Joe.
• Dukes, Alan.
• Durkan, Bernard.
• Enright, Thomas W.
• Farrelly, John V.
• Fennell, Nuala.
• Ferris, Michael.
• Finucane, Michael.
• FitzGerald, Garret.
• Flaherty, Mary.
• Flanagan, Charles.
• Gilmore, Eamon.
• Gregory, Tony.
• Harte, Paddy.
• Higgins, Jim.
• Higgins, Michael D.
• Hogan, Philip.
• Howlin, Brendan.
• Kavanagh, Liam.
• Kemmy, Jim.
• Kenny, Enda.
• McCartan, Pat.
• McCormack, Pádraic.
• McGahon, Brendan.
• McGinley, Dinny.
• Mac Giolla, Tomás.
• Byrne, Eric.
• Carey, Donal.
• Connaughton, Paul.
• Cosgrave, Michael Joe.
• Cotter, Bill.
• Creed, Michael.
• Crowley, Frank.
• Currie, Austin.
• D'Arcy, Michael.
• Deasy, Austin.
• Deenihan, Jimmy.
• De Rossa, Proinsias.
• McGrath, Paul.
• Mitchell, Gay.
• Mitchell, Jim.
• Moynihan, Michael.
• Nealon, Ted.
• Noonan, Michael. (Limerick East).
• O'Keeffe, Jim.
• O'Shea, Brian.
• O'Sullivan, Gerry.
• O'Sullivan, Toddy.
• Owen, Nora.
• Pattison, Séamus.
• Quinn, Ruairí.
• Rabbitte, Pat.
• Reynolds, Gerry.
• Ryan, Seán.
• Shatter, Alan.
• Sheehan, Patrick J.
• Sherlock, Joe.
• Spring, Dick.
• Stagg, Emmet.
• Taylor, Mervyn.
• Taylor-Quinn, Madeleine.
• Timmins, Godfrey.
• Yates, Ivan.

Tellers: Tá, Deputies V. Brady and Clohessy; Níl, Deputies Flanagan and Boylan.

Question declared carried.