Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, seems to have it in for small family-run businesses. Last year, we warned him that betting duty on turnover would put such small firms out of business, as 2% of turnover was greater than their profits in some cases. That is what happened. In this year's budget, the Minister had to introduce a new relief in recognition of the difficulties experienced by small independent bookmakers. We told him last year that this would happen, but unfortunately, some have closed in the interim.

The Minister is now being warned that small independent health stores will also close, leaving more boarded-up shops in our towns and villages if he increases the rate of VAT on food supplements to 13.5% in the Finance Bill as he promised.

We simply cannot allow that to happen. I ask the Minister to provide clarity now. Will he preserve jobs by defining food supplements as food, with a 0% VAT rate, as has been the case for more than 40 years? With the pressure Brexit is putting on small firms and family-owned businesses closing down all the time, this is not the time for it to happen. Will the Minister preserve the 0% rate of VAT on food supplements?

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