Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 26:

In page 134, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following:“VAT on food supplements

45.The Minister shall within three months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before the Oireachtas a report on the different rates of VAT charged on food supplements and on whether certain categories of food supplements should be retained in the zero rate VAT category.”.

This relates to the issue of VAT on food supplements. There was a detailed discussion of this issue on Committee Stage but some points need to be clarified and teased out in the Chamber. The comments made by the Taoiseach in the House when he was asked about this issue on Tuesday, 13 November were ill-advised, insulting and very disparaging to an important sector of the economy. He stated:

Food supplements very rarely do anything for our health. They are mostly snake oil and just cost people money.

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