Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Minister on his practical approach to this entire issue since the start of the pandemic and join with him in thanking Revenue. I also acknowledge the role of local authority staff who have been involved in rolling out the various supports to businesses locally. I give them credit for a job incredibly well done.

I welcome the commitment about the cliff edge, which is important. We need to continue to emphasise that, particularly as we, hopefully, move into a reopening phase. There are several issues about the scheme, however, I wish to raise. Many businesses are being affected by standing utility, IT and security costs. These are eating up much of their subsidy. I know the Minister cannot provide for everything. However, given that no revenue is coming in, the utility and credit card companies need to stand up to the plate in terms of working with businesses and providing them with support, particularly where there are standing charges not necessarily for the use of a service.

The hospitality sector is at the forefront of many of the restrictions. As hospitality begins to open up again, we will see that there has been a flight of experienced and qualified hospitality staff to more secure employment such as essential retail. Without that experience, we are going to find it hard to get our hospitality industry back up to the level at which it was. This will also affect the level of contribution the sector makes to the Exchequer. At some stage, consideration should be given to a key worker initiative to assist the hospitality industry retain or bring back experienced workers. I will be raising this with the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin. I hope the Minister for Finance will consider this as well.

Many retailers have been left with stock more appropriate to the winter and most definitely not appropriate to opening up for the summer. They must be able to sell that stock but their suppliers are not dealing with them. Again, that is an issue that is soaking up much of the money under the supports and the CRSS. Will the Minister consider this matter as well?

Several Deputies raised the issue of the older self-employed. We are quite ageist in our approach to this. Just because one is over 66, does not mean one does not have outgoings and may need the supports. The exclusion of this age group from many of these schemes is very unfair.

I endorse what has been said previously about insurance companies. They were dragged kicking and screaming to the courts to adhere to their commitments and to their liabilities. They are now using State supports to subsidise the payment of what they should be paying to their customers. We need a strong statement from both the Minister and Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, who is doing much in this area, that this will not be tolerated.

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