Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response and for raising the TBESS scheme. From listening to some constituents regarding its expansion, there are many sectors which have been excluded from it, one being those which do not use a main gas supply and use imported liquefied petroleum gas, LPG. They can measure their consumption and the cost. There is a certain cohort which has been excluded which should be included. Many rural pubs have also been excluded which also use kerosene and LPG to run their businesses. There are, I think, over 1,500 rural pubs which were excluded from the TBESS. I ask that the Minister look at this again in the round.

I wish also to raise the issue around the 9% VAT rate. It is of vital importance for counties such as my own, County Mayo, which heavily rely on the tourism and hospitality sector, taking into account the escalating business costs and ongoing energy crisis. I ask that we be pro-active with support measures to possibly avoid potential insolvencies going forward.

See this speech in context