Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The amendments refer to the Government decision with regard to the 9% VAT rate. The House will be well aware of the challenge that sector has faced during a prolonged period of the implementation of public health measures, due to which restaurants and hotels had to be closed for so long. I am also conscious that we are now in a position where, at the end of this month, the employment wage subsidy scheme, EWSS, that has provided large and much-needed support to the hospitality sector will no longer be available. Therefore, it is appropriate to give certainty and clarity to the hospitality sector on where it stands. It is especially important to see the hospitality sector have a good summer and then a successful off-shoulder period between November and February. I hope hotels, in particular, will be in a position to be able to give clear pricing to tour operators and that restaurants in the run-up to the Christmas period will be able to give certainty regarding the price on their bookings throughout that period. For all of those reasons, this extension is merited. I look forward to a discussion in the Dáil on it and, I hope, the support of the House.

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