No. The proposal is that after Private Members’ Business the order shall resume. I oppose this and propose instead that we have a debate today on the disaster that is the Government’s water charges policy. We need to have that debate because 100,000 people flooded on to the streets of Dublin last Saturday to demand, in no certain terms, that the Government abolish the water tax. They want this to be stated categorically. I know that the Tánaiste will have been outraged that some of those involved in the demonstration had the audacity to take pictures on mobile phones instead of bringing plain paper and crayons to sketch the historic event. They were giving the lie to the cynical propaganda that austerity was at an end - some end to austerity when families with four, five and six over-18 year olds face bills of €500 to €800 next year and the year after when the Government’s cynical cap will finish.

No, that is not the case.

No, the Deputy is wrong.

If the Tánaiste does not listen to the people exercising their power on the streets, perhaps she might listen to them at the ballot box. The Government, particularly the Labour Party, was eviscerated in the recent by-elections over water charges and other issues.

This has to do with the proposal concerning Private Members’ Business.

Under Standing Orders, I am allowed to make a short statement in opposition to the Order of Business. I am concluding.

The Deputy should speak to the proposal.

The Tánaiste can lacerate Fianna Fáil all she wants for lack of investment in water services. However, 20 years ago when she was in government, she could have put €1 billion or €2 billion into water infrastructure. Instead, she gave a massive tax amnesty to criminal tax cheats with their offshore accounts.

I am calling the Tánaiste to reply to the Deputy.

The Fianna Fáil leader, Deputy Micheál Martin, said something important today.

Did he?

He said up to €175 million might constitute the net income next year from water charges if there were 100% compliance. The Government should forget it. It will face a mass national non-payment campaign that will put Captain Boycott in the shade. The Tánaiste had better get wise to the anger being expressed. It will not be reconciled by the Government’s paltry concessions in the budget.

What about the property tax? There was a 95% compliance rate.

The Deputy has made his brief contribution.

I want the debate to take place today or the Government to set aside time tomorrow. This issue must be dealt with and dealt with now.

The Government has had a significant number of debates and discussions on the matter.

The Dáil only debated the Irish Water Bill for four hours before the debate was guillotined.

The Government might have, but the Dáil did not.

Any such debate would be a matter for the Whips. I do not see any reason to change the Order of Business.

Deputy Joe Higgins does not seem to be aware that in the budget the families to whom he referred will receive a reduction in the taxes they have to pay. There is a rebalancing of the tax structure in order that people at work, including hardworking individuals on low and middle incomes, will get some relief. They will also receive improved payments in child benefit.

The point is that it will be unaffordable.

The Deputy in his lofty way can dismiss all of this and the fact that there are more people at work. He seems to want everyone to be on welfare payments. That is his vision for society.

Bertie Ahern could not do better.

I want to see people at work. I recall when the Deputy’s party was in charge of the city council in Liverpool a long time ago.

Liverpool.

In the end, the Deputy’s party sacked the council workers and sent taxis to give them their redundancy notices.

Deputy Higgins should apologise.

I will now put the proposal to the House.

The Tánaiste, in particular, should know about the poll tax.

Sorry, Deputy Higgins. On the Order of Business I now call Deputy Martin.

He has not impressed Deputy Paul Murphy this morning.