New forms of taxation may be needed if we are to achieve social justice, Mr Michael D Higgins TD (Lab), said last night.
Mr Higgins was responding to an article in yesterday's Irish Times by the Progressive Democrats leader, Ms Mary Harney, who wrote: "The left-wing focus on social justice as redistribution of resources by the State misses a wider concept of justice."
Asked on RTE's Questions and Answers programme if he would reverse the tax cuts which the PDs helped introduce, Mr Higgins said: "There is such a gap between what is provided in the public sphere in all European countries, that there is a case for funding it, from taxation and new taxation if necessary - otherwise where is the redistribution?"