Dáil debates

Tuesday, 29 January 2019

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

VAT Rate Increases

6:45 pm

Photo of Gino KennyGino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

It seems incongruous that the Minister of State is proposing to put 23% on all vitamins, minerals, fish oils and food supplements. This move will have a profound effect on those who take vitamins as part of a health programme. It will also disproportionately affect older people. It will also have a profound effect on the many health food shops which will struggle to open because of this proposed hike. A number of people who take supplements and vitamins as part of their health regime contacted our office over the weekend. They stated that if this proposed VAT hike is implemented they will not be able to sustain their need for supplements and vitamins on their income. That is not their fault. The condition has chosen them, but that measure will disproportionately affect them.

I understand the Minister of State has discretion as to whether to implement this hike. There is major public opinion on this issue to the effect that if he implements this, it would be akin to putting VAT on children's shoes in the 1980s, and we saw how that ended up in terms of a Fine Gael Government. He should have a serious rethink about it. There is precedent. In 2014, there was a proposal to put VAT on herbal tea and the Minister at the time abandoned it. The Minister can do the same.

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