John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I reiterate the appeal to the Minister. He presents himself as a Minister willing to compromise and to take on board some of what the Opposition is saying. The amendment he brought forward to reduce the sum to €75 from the initial proposal of €175 was presented as a compromise, when it is not a compromise because it does the same thing: it damages a sector that is completely on its knees. When I say “on its knees”, I picture the stores in rural parts of Connemara and the western seaboard that are open purely for the tourism industry and that sell themselves as tax-free shopping ventures. They now have to make very difficult decisions while the shutters are down, because activity in the sector is non-existent. They have to make decisions now as to how they can feasibly reopen in light of this amendment, which can only be described as a way of penalising them. It will be perceived as penalising foreign tourism, particularly in those areas. We know 66% of the money spent is spent outside Dublin and particularly in those areas.

If the Minister truly sees himself as willing to make compromises, I reiterate the appeal at this point to withdraw the amendment. It will come up in the Seanad next week, when he can bring forward an amendment and listen to what is a united voice across the Opposition in this regard. Let us have a united voice on Brexit and on the omnibus Bill. We do not want to push these amendments. As I said in my opening contribution, it is the only amendment that any of my colleagues in Sinn Féin has opposed because we do not see it as part of the fit in terms of Brexit. The Minister has overstepped the mark. He has an opportunity to rectify that and withdraw the amendment to help save a sector that is very much on its knees, and to do the right thing. I reiterate that appeal.

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