Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The people of Cork might have something to say about that. We might bring President Biden to Pairc Uí Rinn and ask him if he can figure out why Kerry were so reluctant initially to come to Pairc Uí Rinn. They came and we had a great night, in any event.

The 9% VAT rate is a response to the situation the hospitality industry finds itself in after a long, hard Covid-19 period in which it was hammered. The Government's employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS, was very important in keeping a lot of hospitality sector employees at work. The VAT rate, by the way, goes beyond the hospitality sector and takes in a lot other sectors, including cinema, theatre and so on. A number of different sectors will benefit from this and employment should be maintained in those sectors out to February 2023.

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