Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

The situation is in crisis and the Government is not doing enough to resolve it. I commend Deputy Varadkar on bringing this important Bill to the House.

I come from a business background. My business is 100 years old this year. My mother ran that business for 65 years and I ran it before getting involved in politics. It is a successful business, a newsagents with lottery facilities, employing at one stage approximately 15 people. It now employs three full-time and four or five part-time staff. Two of the full-time employees have worked for me, one for 37 years and the other for 27 years. They have been loyal and have worked extremely hard. I am trying my best to repay that loyalty by keeping the shop open. I keep it open not just to make money, but because if it folds three people will have to join the dole queues. The business, which has been in operation for 100 years and, to which I have a loyalty, will not survive.

I do not believe the Government knows what is happening. It is proposing to stall this major initiative for six months. This is a crisis that requires immediate action. I have had to pay off newspaper companies and to plead with cigarette companies to maintain the flow of cigarettes into the shop. I had to do a deal with the Revenue Commissioners to ensure the shop remained open. I am fortunate in that I am well paid as a Member of this House. Not too many businesses are in that position. This crisis must be addressed immediately or small and medium-sized enterprises will go to the wall.

Businesses have been good for this country. They have paid their taxes and kept small towns open. The Government is showing scant regard for the loyalty they have given. This proposal must be accepted immediately if we are not to lose more businesses, resulting in 100,000 more people joining the dole queues. The Government has bailed out the banks and the banks have put the boot into businesses. I am trying to obtain credit for a business that has been open for 100 years. I am in a better position than most.

The banks are not open for business with existing businesses. They are using the mantra that they will lend to new businesses. New businesses will not come on stream at this time. We need to protect existing businesses. There are many entrepreneurs out there eagerly awaiting what will happen here tonight. The Government, in not accepting this Bill, is giving the two fingers to businesses, the staff of those businesses and to small towns in our community. I am asking the Minister of State to ensure that action is taken to address this issue before the summer. I know the Minister of State is working extremely hard. He must ensure something is done immediately if businesses are not to go to the wall.

See this speech in context