Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will not delay either. I support Deputy Naughten and the others who tabled this necessary and quite deliberate amendment. It is alarming, at this time of severe crisis, pain and suffering for all small businesses across the country and in Northern Ireland, as Deputy Ó Cuív said earlier, that we are debating these issues at the last minute, in the second last month of the year, when we should have debated them over the past two years. I too am concerned about the tourism industry. I am concerned about the products, people and VAT. To echo what Deputy Naughten said, we should not worry about the Chancellor of the Exchequer. They did not think much about us when they came into Croke Park 100 years ago last Sunday. They did not think much about the Irish when they implemented all the penal laws, and we have some of those back again now. We have our independence and it is our Exchequer that we should worry about. It is getting cleaned out at the moment, which is helping, but it is not enough to sustain small businesspeople, with the uncertainty that they have from Brexit coupled with the uncertainty caused by Covid.

The Tánaiste has been talking about having more lockdowns next year. People are being driven demented. Deputy McNamara asked a question earlier about mental health figures but we cannot get them. Our own mental health is suffering because we get so many queries and so much hassle. People are so despondent, especially at this time of year. It was refreshing to go out in the fresh air earlier on this lovely bright day, but with dark, gloomy days and long nights, people are concerned about their families, the future of their education and of their businesses. I support the amendments.

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