Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It worked. It was funded by a very unpopular levy on pensions, over which the Minister will recall we were beaten up. It worked as a job creation effort. It is now clear that there are very large hotel groups coining money that do not need a taxpayers' bailout but there are a number of others who will be affected by this measure. I refer to small family restaurants, small family hotels, small operators in the hairdressing industry and so on who need the support of countervailing measures.

The Minister will have very broad support across the House in regard to the big hotel groups that are coining money but we do need to have specific measures for the others. Before this measure takes effect early next year, there will be time to introduce supportive measures to ensure the family enterprises are not hit. They need to be assured tonight that they will be helped out when this measure is introduced in January.

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