Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Mr. Redmond, Mr. Irwin, Ms O'Brien and Ms Clarke to the committee. Their presentation, in terms not only of content but style, was excellent and engaging. While I cannot speak for everybody present, there is a great deal of support in this committee and the Oireachtas in relation to the demand. I commend the witnesses on their lobbying campaign and the information they presented which provides us with the tools with which to make arguments to the Minister. I welcome the announcement by Government today that this proposal is off the table for next year. It is to be hoped - I do not wish to use the word "U-turn" because it then becomes a political game - it is a way of moving away from this issue altogether. I believe that if the Minister has taken it off the table, he obviously has listened to the concerns and in doing so will find it impossible to put it back on the table next year. It is to be hoped today's announcement is a face-saving exercise and that if it is off the table for a year, by the time we come to it next year, it will be off the table permanently.

Many of the issues have been addressed but I would like to put a couple of questions to the witnesses. The Small Firms Association has commented on this matter and has stated that for every week the payment date is brought forward, there will be a funding cost of at least €1 million and that bringing in earlier tax payment dates will destroy jobs and damage prospects for recovery in the domestic sector. The fact that statement is included in today's presentation would indicate the institute concurs with it. Perhaps Mr. Redmond would elaborate on that cost of €1 million per week if the Government were to bring tax payment dates forward.