Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would not say I am comfortable but it is important to understand what businesses are facing. Even with the support we are going to provide in helping to subsidise their energy bills, there will still be companies facing losses which may have to lay off staff or reduce hours. The subsidy is not so huge that it will make businesses phenomenally wealthy. Businesses face massive increases in their energy bills. They show them to me every two or three days and they have trebled. I realise Senator Sherlock is not suggesting this but I would not like anyone to think that they are going to be sloshing around in money and these nasty businesspeople in top hats are going to smoke their cigars and lay off workers. That is not what is happening here. These businesses are struggling. Even with the support and help from the Government, some of them may have to make difficult decisions about staffing levels.