Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputy that the Government did not put such extensive supports in place during Covid for those businesses to close now. My Department and I have extensive and ongoing engagement with the sector. As I said earlier, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and I will convene and co-chair the tourism and hospitality forum next week in order to engage and hear concerns.

On the 9% VAT rate, as I made clear to Deputy Verona Murphy, I have always said I am in favour of an extension to the lower rate of VAT for the tourism and hospitality sector, that I am acutely conscious of the challenges facing the entire sector and I will be engaging with the Minister for Finance and Cabinet colleagues in the coming weeks.

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