Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the massive lobbying that took place over the last number of months by people in the industry, people I work with every day. I also acknowledge the challenge this change will bring for many people around the country. However, this rate was introduced by the Government as a temporary measure in 2011 for three years. Many of us fought hard in 2014 to have it extended and again in 2015, 2016 and last year. We were unable to get it extended this year. Meanwhile, some of the Members who are shouting the loudest on the other side of the House tonight are the same people who did not support it on the first day. That is completely hypocritical and misleading.

With regard to supporting the industry, particularly in Border, peripheral and rural areas, such as the rural community I come from, there was a good news story in the budget today for tourism. There is a 25% increase in the amount of money provided for tourism spend in 2019. Nobody is talking about that tonight. That is an unprecedented increase in tourism spend. It will be targeted at rural communities, increasing the regionality and seasonality of the tourism industry and managing the current unprecedented success in Irish tourism.

See this speech in context