Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have two brief points to make. With respect, I do not know why the Minister took issue with the term "corporate welfare". It was not used in a derogatory way. Just as we have an obligation and responsibility to support people who find themselves unemployed with welfare supports, as the Minister knows, I supported measures to support the corporate sector because of the restrictions and the pandemic. We wanted to make sure the employees were supported and that businesses were alive and able to continue to trade. It was not said in a derogatory way but said as acknowledgement of the support provided to the sector. The Minister made the point for me that I focus on Donegal. I support the extension of the 9%. That does not absolve the Government from dealing with the issue, which requires more than just the Minister for Finance telling the sector it will shoot itself in the foot by continuing to do this.

This is having a real-time impact on people in the middle of a cost of living crisis. People find it difficult when they come overnight for hospital appointments. Tourism is affected when people come to the city for major events and so on. I would like to see the Government be more proactive and to sit down with the industry and call it out in those meetings to make it clear. While there cannot be differentiation with VAT, there are other tax tools. Many other countries have bedroom taxes and so on. I am not suggesting the Minister go down that road, but there are options relating to this industry. More engagement with the sector is needed. The hotels that appeared randomly on my phone cost between €500 and €1,000 for a Saturday night in Dublin two weeks from now.

They are going to benefit from this measure. The least we could expect from Government is for it to sit down with them and tell them to cut this out. It is gouging. I would like to see the Government call the industry in, speak to the Irish Hotels Federation and deal with the issues that are arising, particularly in this city.

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