Garret Ahearn (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the contribution Ms McGee made at the start of the meeting. She made a number of good points that she thought we should focus on and the second one was in support of the dual investment in technology and talent and to introduce more sustainable business practices in areas such as energy efficiency. If I go back to Tipperary and say that we should focus on that, the first thing businesses will say is that the Government has given them no money at all to put into solar panels to be more energy efficient. Is IBEC hearing that from businesses? Only yesterday we reduced VAT to 0% for solar panels for homes and €30,000 is being given to homeowners. We are making changes to be more energy efficient but I know of two businesses in Tipperary that have spent over €50,000 to be more energy efficient and they get zero from the State to help do that. Does IBEC see that as an issue?

If we are going to get them to change their ways in terms of digitalisation, energy efficiency and carbon emissions reduction, the very least we could do is financially support them from the very start.