There is a reference in the programme for Government to improving tax compliance. I wonder whether, rather than just referring to this, the Government will introduce legal reforms following yesterday's court judgment whereby a Member of the Dáil was sentenced for filing false tax returns, failing to keep proper company accounts and falsifying accounts and yet received a chicken feed fine in the context of his wealth and a pat on the back from the judge rather than a rap on the knuckles, saying he was a great Deputy. What we are seeing is one law for the rich and another for the poor. That is the conclusion of workers throughout the country following this case. What reforms will the Taoiseach make on tax compliance?

The Deputy cannot refer to court judgments.

Is the Taoiseach going to oblige judges not to give their personal opinions about one of their own but actually to prosecute serial tax offenders and tax evaders?

The Deputy cannot refer to court judgments or make statements such as that which she has just made. I am warning the Deputy. If the Taoiseach wants to respond, he may do so. If he does not wish to do so, however, I will have no difficulty.

Tax offences and tax crimes are serious crimes in my view and in that of the Government. When people commit tax offences, they are not just taking money from one person; they are taking money from all society. In the case of Deputy Lowry, he got a fair trial-----

Did he get a fair sentence, though?

-----and as a result of that there was a conviction and a barring from holding directorships and also a fine. It is for the courts to hear cases-----

Absolutely. I said that.

-----and to make those decisions. We are a democracy; we are not the people's socialist republic. We are politicians.

The Deputy in question was found guilty but he did not get a sentence.

Deputy Coppinger, please.

We are not going to overrule judges.

Obviously, the Taoiseach does not care.

Deputy Coppinger is not a judge; she is a Member of the House.

Hold on, I said that. It is a matter for the courts.

The Government is happy to have him support it.

Roll on the people's socialist republic.

We are a democracy and we have a separation of powers.

A drug addict would be in jail. That is my point.

It is not Soviet Russia.

The Taoiseach is happy to have a tax cheat support him.