Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Government has made commitments in the programme for Government in respect of VAT and costs that small- to medium-sized businesses are incurring. We want to consult business because it not just hospitality; the retail sector is feeling the pressures as well. We want to consult and come up with a package that will involve VAT in the context of the next budget. Public expenditure increased last year by 9.5%. That is an enormous increase in any one year. We had the budget. We announced the budget for 2025. It is not our intention to deviate from it. It involves very considerable current and capital expenditure increases. We will have a budget in September. Our plans will be very clear in early summer.

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