Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

There is an alarming increase in the number of small businesses being forced to close. The owners of these businesses, who have invested blood, sweat and tears to make them function, are being hammered with massive costs. In fact, we have a two-tier economy. We have a very strong foreign direct investment sector but a comparatively weak indigenous business sector. The businesses to which I refer are being hit by rip-off Ireland, which is made worse by the cost-of-living crisis. Many of them, especially restaurants, were hammered during Covid. In addition, the Government's policy on migrant accommodation relies too heavily on the hospitality sector. I ask the Taoiseach to consider what I believe to be the solution, which is to split the hospitality sector. In that sector, there are extremely large hotels that are making very big profits. These could be separated from small cafes, restaurants and other businesses, which would comprise a different sector that would be subject to a different VAT rate of 9%. Will the Taoiseach consider that proposal?

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