Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We will probably have a fair amount of agreement, at least on this side of the House, on the issues out there at the minute, among them the cost-of-living crisis that workers and everybody else are going through. I have no doubt that, as people are hitting the doors, they are getting it in the neck, for want of a better term, on the pressure businesses are under also. There is a cost-of-doing-business crisis also. It is a matter of how we look after the people we need to look after. We need to make sure we look after workers' rights. Deputy O'Reilly spoke about shortfalls we have not dealt with as regards conditions and workers' rights, the fact that we still do not have the necessary legislation on collective bargaining, and ensuring we have the sorts of union protections that are required. We also know there is severe pressure on a huge number of businesses. I have spoken previously about a guy who was involved in running a garage and dealing with fuel. I spoke to him when I was canvassing in Ardee. He said the business does not wash its face any more. That is at the minute, he said; he did not know what will happen if the increase in fuel that is proposed by the Government is to be followed through on. This is far worse in the Border region.

That needs to be looked at.

We would all welcome the fact that the ICOB scheme was reopened. It is fair to say that there were difficulties in its initial framework and set up and in its execution. That is why we had 49.94% of qualifying businesses applying for the grant before the scheme closed on 30 April. We know that we are racing very quickly towards another closing date, so everything has to be done from the point of view of ensuring that all businesses know about the grant. There are issues for many businesses in the context of how the supports are formulated. We know of all the issues regarding who pays the rates. Some businesses cannot apply, but we need to ensure that all those that can apply are facilitated as much as possible.

The Government have spoken a great deal about how it will deal with the issue of retail and hospitality businesses under the pressure they are under. Deputy O'Reilly put it very well that what we need is something far better than that and that we cannot necessarily be pitting businesses against each other. We accept that a significant number of businesses in this particular sphere need support. Beyond that, we need to look at other areas. I refer to the idea of a bespoke and time-limited support for all those sectors that are impacted by public policy interventions. These are the many proposals that we in our party would have supported and talked about over many years. None of us wants to reverse anything developments relating to the minimum wage or those other entitlements that workers absolutely require.

We need to do a hell of a lot more in order to ensure that we deal with all of the businesses involved. I am are talking about businesses that can survive but that are under severe pressure at this point. We need to give them a framework and a means of getting through the current period. At the same time, there cannot be any diminution of the right of workers.

Earlier in the House, I referred to businesses in the Clanbrassil Street and St. Nicholas Quarter and the fact that they could be under pressure tomorrow or on Monday because they received last minute notice of an 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. road closure to facilitate what Uisce Éireann calls essential works that could lead to the discolouration of water and low water pressure. Sallins and other places will also be affected. It is the middle of communion season, and a significant number of people could be incredibly put out by what is happening. I spoke to the Minister for housing earlier. It is absolutely necessary that the Government engage in respect of this matter. If there are mitigations, it is vital that they are put in place.

Before I finish I was at the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre of Excellence, AMTCE, of Louth and Meath Education and Training Board, LMETB, alongside the Minister for the Economy, Deirdre Hargey. Hopefully Conor Murphy will be back in place fairly soon, which I believe we would all welcome. Much of work has been done by the LMETB. A memorandum of understanding, MOU, was signed with Southern Regional College and Queen's University Belfast. We all know the issues we had in the past in the context of Xerox and PayPal. It is absolutely necessary that we have support for this kind of positive work. I know this centre is looking at an apprenticeship in automation and robotics, and is dealing with KUKA and ABB, which also have a footprint in Dundalk. These are the sort of matters we need to look at in the context of innovation, etc.

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