Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister's announcement on the VAT rate. It was great to see the number of English tourists who were over for the racing festival at Punchestown two weeks ago. The retaining of the low VAT rate will ensure festivals such as Punchestown and race meetings around the country will benefit from it.

On Deputy 'Ming' Flangan's point, a Dublin Bus driver who drives one of the hop on hop off tourist buses told me recently that the number of tourists around the city of Dublin is much higher than it has been for the past number of years. The sort of initiative the Minister has shown today is extremely welcome.

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