Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Again, I thank the Deputy for his question. We have worked with all sectors. I met ISME yesterday, along with another number of business sectoral groups. We are working with them to progressively keep improving the business environment in which they operate. I point out that inflation has halved since November 2022. That demonstrates that Government policies are working. We really did tackle it in the best way we could by mitigating the pressure on vulnerable people and by introducing strong business packages of €12 billion over the previous two budgets. We will continue to work closely with businesses. I also point out that other robust evidence we have seen is that we have approximately 2.8 million people employed and that, for every ten businesses opening in our economy, only one is closing. It is very important to look at the evidence.

However, I am absolutely aware there are pressure points. We are very much aware that 60% of our national minimum wage workers rely on the retail and hospitality sectors for their employment. We will be working closely with those sectors in the horizon up to the next budget. That will give us a chance, as three Ministers, to put down a strong mark that we are really listening to businesses. We have done it with the package we introduced in the past week and I am happy to say it has received a good welcome from businesses, notwithstanding it is modest, and we have to be honest about that. It shows, however, that we as a Government are listening and are doing our very best to support businesses at a time when consumer and discretionary incomes are under pressure, and we accept that.

See this speech in context