Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister mentioned that a number of areas have been targeted for attention. Can I suggest that he might take a look around the Cabinet table? The report suggests that health insurance has been one of the big drivers of cost increases in recent times. I suggest that is completely down to the inability of the Minister, Deputy Reilly, to manage that problem. The report also focuses on the cost of utilities. Irish small and medium sized enterprises have to pay the fifth highest electricity costs in the eurozone. Large users of electricity in this country have to pay the sixth highest costs. The Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, has been quiet on that. Reference should also be made to water costs in the context of the juggernaut that is Irish Water. The costs that are really affecting businesses are being primarily driven by the Government and its policies. The report identifies the impact that the potential shortage of office accommodation, particularly in Dublin city centre, will have on property costs and on job creation. That has been highlighted for two and a half or three years but very little has been done about it.

The Government has completely abandoned the commitment in the programme for Government to look at upward-only rent reviews. Many businesses are still paying Celtic tiger rents. That is another major cost. I remind the Minister that in response to the 2005 budget, he claimed that "the utilities, stealth taxes, rates and all the other burdens the State puts on ... companies have increased". He continued: "There is no tightening of belts when it comes to those delivering those services but the companies which have to compete ... are feeling the squeeze. Companies are leaving these shores to go to cheaper environments". The same thing is happening in 2014 on the Minister's watch. It is being driven by the Minister's colleagues.

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