Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Many companies will not recover. We need to assist every employer who is going to attempt to carry on in any way we can because every job is valuable. As I said in my questions to the Taoiseach, I ask the Minister to explore every avenue when it comes to construction work, building companies and the construction of one-off houses. Every situation is different. I am sure that each person in the State realises the importance of social distancing and will be doing everything they can to ensure that they follow the guidelines.

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However, they need advice in respect of vans and work vehicles. They need help regarding the cost of insurance, rates and electricity bills. They need assistance with those matters. My understanding of rates is that if people are not making any money, they would not have to pay the rates at all, or a reduced rate if on a lower income. We need to assist the local authorities because the amount of revenue they are going to lose will be massive. Clarity is needed in the context of hardware stores. Are they exempted at present? What about machinery stores?

I come now to Kerry and the importance of the tourism industry, hotels, restaurants, guest houses, bed-and-breakfast establishments and pubs. These businesses are asking that the Government apply a zero rate of VAT for the rest of this year, as well as providing assistance with their buildings and the way they present their premises for people coming in if they are given the green light to open. We realise that we will not have any foreign visitors and we will be depending on people from around the country when things open up to get these businesses going and making a turnover again.

I refer to bus companies that provide transport for schoolchildren. The Government states that the schools are going to reopen in June for those sitting the leaving certificate, but there is a serious problem regarding transporting children. Maybe the Government is talking about reopening schools in urban areas but children in rural areas are entitled to get to school as well and there will be a problem in the context of the size of the buses needed to facilitate the social distancing that is required. I know that no interaction has taken place up until now, but it is very important that the Government interacts with the bus companies and Bus Éireann on how the children are going to be brought to school for the remaining term of this year. In view of the fact that the Government will not relent and forget about the leaving certificate for this year, it must realise now that there is a serious problem with transporting children to school. That needs to be discussed with the contractors to ensure the children are brought there safely and are looked after. It is very important.

Seasonal workers are also important. They are totally left behind and Kerry depends so much on those workers. Most of their stamps have now run out and in the next couple of weeks all of their stamps will be gone. This concerns hotel workers, pub workers and bus drivers. As Deputy Michael Healy-Rae stated, there is a yard full of buses parked in Killarney. It cost millions of euro to fund what has gone into that yard and they are all parked.

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