In reply to Deputy Joe Higgins's question——

The Taoiseach should withdraw the remark he made.

What remark?

The remark about the Deputy being a right-wing doctor.

The Deputy is a doctor.

Allow the Taoiseach, please.

If he gets that upset, the House can imagine what I feel every day.

Withdraw the remark.

Deputy McGrath is becoming very precious.

The Deputy is a medical doctor, not a spin doctor.

In reply to Deputy Joe Higgins, my point is that one cannot distribute resources to education, health and social welfare unless wealth is generated. Deputy Higgins's outrageous accusation against me that corporation tax has been lowered is not true. The facts are that corporation tax has soared from 4% to 9% of GNP during my period as Taoiseach. The Government through its policies has taken far more from the corporate tax sector by having lower taxes and generating far more activity in the economy. There are over 400,000 more in employment and lower unemployment figures——

The recent corporation tax yield is down. That is a matter of fact.

Please, Deputy Burton, allow the Taoiseach without interruption.

The Government has been given the resources to spend far more.

The Taoiseach is wrong. His ready reckoner is wrong.

That is how we can have more doctors, more nurses, more therapists and more teachers. When the then Minister for Finance, Mr. McCreevy, halved the rate of capital gains tax, the Government gained four times more revenue.

QED.

By having lower taxes, we were able to spend more. I quoted a figure yesterday in the House in the Deputy's absence which proves that the average industrial wage is now €10,000 more than it was seven years ago. Even taking the tax rate then and the different tax rate now, a person on that salary is paying €300 less. This shows the success of what we do. I know the Deputy is actually an admirer of that also.

That is our legacy.

That concludes Leaders' Questions. Perhaps the Chair should read out the Standing Order relating to Leaders' Questions for the benefit of Members. The Standing Order allows for a brief question on one matter of topical public importance from the leaders of Fine Gael, the Labour Party and the designated leader of the Technical Group. The overall time limit is 21 minutes. The time ran 17 minutes over time this morning. I ask Members to keep in mind the Standing Order. If they wish to change it, they know how to do so. The number of interruptions is totally unacceptable. This is a national Parliament and Members are entitled to be heard with courtesy and with silence. In future the Chair will insist that we carry out our responsibility under Standing Order 26A in regard to Leaders' Questions. I ask Members to allow Members on all sides of the House to speak without interruption and that Members would try to stay within the time. The Chair is flexible, as Members know, but not to the extent that we can go 17 minutes over time. In future the Chair will have to take a tougher line because we cannot allow this to continue.