Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am glad the Minister of State is anxiously awaiting that report and I hope he will be as anxious to act on it. In fairness to the Minister of State, he contributed a good deal to it.

Every sector of the economy may benefit from the miserly increases given but by the time water charges are paid for there will not be much left.

On the retail sector, how much additional funding was provided in the budget to the trading online scheme to assist retailers in moving their businesses online, which is biggest challenge facing retailers now? I understand it is a Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources allocation but presumably the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is also involved.

What proposals has the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation made to the Department of Finance around legacy debt? There is a need for a conversation with the Department of Finance about the many retail businesses which while operating well on a day-to-day basis are hamstrung by investments in expansion and the creation of new jobs or are facing closure by the banks because they are unable to service debt which dates back many years. There is no sense of any type of package being put in place to assist such businesses. Has there been any discussion in this regard?

Also, has there been any discussion with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on its new rates revaluation Bill, which is causing chaos around the country? I would encourage the Minister of State, Deputy Nash, when he next visits Waterford to meet with the retail groups there in regard to what rates revaluation is doing to them. It is destroying those who have invested in their properties.

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