Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

What I am asking is that the Minister would keep it under review, because as I said, businesses are struggling. The Minister will be very well aware that even though he is bringing in this scheme and he decreased the VAT rate, the VAT payments on energy bills for most businesses is now greater, even at 9%, than it was a year or two ago. He has extra money. I want him to look at the reality of business and to think in terms of how flexible he can be.

I asked the Tánaiste about this a week or two ago and he indicated that if businesses are not viable, the Government can step in to support them where other businesses cannot get staff. The truth is, however, that many businesses that were viable three, six, nine months or a year ago are no longer viable because of increased energy costs., and many are small businesses. Will the Minister keep this in mind?

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