Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Restaurants Association of Ireland has raised serious concerns about the fact that 212 restaurants have closed. This equates to a loss of €288 million to our economy. The Irish Hairdressers Federation has also expressed serious concern and raised the need for the VAT rate to be reduced to 9% again. This would protect jobs in restaurants in our small towns and villages and in hairdressing salons. We need to do it and I call on the Taoiseach to ensure that in the forthcoming budget the VAT rate will be reduced to 9%.

See this speech in context