Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The cost of doing business in Ireland makes these worrying times for workers and for businesses, which, as the Taoiseach knows, have been vocal on this issue. Corporate insolvency has reached its highest level in five years, with a 25% rise in 2023. Across the country, towns and villages see long-standing businesses, particularly restaurants and pubs, are closing their doors. Jobs are being lost and communities hollowed out. SMEs are particularly vulnerable and, no doubt, are watching the rapidly approaching deadline of 1 May to start repaying their warehoused tax liabilities. To date, Government supports have been poorly thought out and ineffective.

The temporary business energy support scheme of 2023 was a failure, with only 11.5% of its €1.3 billion budget allocated to struggling businesses. We cannot allow this to happen also with the increased cost of business scheme that will open this year. Many businesses are telling us the Government's proposed structure will not help the 95% of businesses it claims. Companies paying more than €30,000 in rates will not qualify. In cities like Dublin those are not big businesses. They can often be pubs, restaurants and shops paying significant rates, and a recently announced change means businesses that pay between €10,000 and €20,000 will have their payments capped at €5,000. Will the Government revisit this scheme and listen to the voice of business?

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