Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

With regard to specific measures to support County Donegal, I remind the Deputy that one of the first actions of the Government was to reduce the VAT rate for tourism and similar services from 13.5% to 9%. The Deputy may speak to any hotelier, restaurant owner or hospitality provider in Donegal and they will tell him that. Before the budget, they lobbied intensively to ensure the reduction to 9% stayed in place. Along the western seaboard, the reduction in VAT has been at the base of a significant expansion in tourism. That has come in conjunction with the skilful marketing development of the Wild Atlantic Way.

The public sector is a very significant employer in County Donegal and I remind the Deputy that ordinary public sector workers in the county would on 1 January have seen a reduction in the amount of USC paid. That reduction is focused on people earning between €25,000 and €70,000 per year.

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