Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We will do everything we can, as we did during the pandemic, to protect those businesses and those jobs that are viable but vulnerable. We have shown true cause on that in the years that have gone by. We have cut taxes. We cut VAT to 9% for electricity, gas, hospitality and personal services. We have also reduced excise on petrol and diesel. Now we are bringing in energy subsidies to help businesses to pay their energy bills. They will see that money in the next few weeks and it will be backdated to September. It will help a lot.

At a time of close to full employment, when lots of businesses cannot expand or open fully because they cannot get staff, it does not make sense to continue to fund and subsidise businesses that are not viable when there is another business down the road that cannot stay open because it cannot get staff.

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