Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)

Over the summer, my colleagues and I met with people, including, as Deputy Collins mentioned, hairdressers, cafe owners, takeaway operators, vintners, restaurateurs, proprietors of hardware shops and other mom and pop businesses. These are homegrown businesses, some of which have been in operation for 80 or 90 years. These are generational family businesses. Many people involved in such businesses are telling us they may not last until Christmas or may not get over Christmas. They are hoping for a bumper December, almost a Christmas miracle, to stay in business.

We spoke to hairdressers today who cannot cut their energy costs because they must have hot water and electricity to turn the lights on and operate their appliances. On the other hand, they cannot move their prices to reflect the extra cost because they will price themselves out of the market. That is particular true when you consider the black-market economy when it comes to hairdressing. That must be addressed. The Government is not listening to people. It needs to move to the 9% VAT rate from 1 January to help those types of businesses.

There are people in this country, as colleagues have said, who are faced with the choice between eating and heating. Did we ever think we would see a day again when the choice between eating and heating was faced by people in this country? It is going back to the 1930s and 1940s of starving Ireland. It is ridiculous. The Government comes out to say it will put a plan in place and that we are one of the wealthiest countries in Europe. It tells us how well the economy is going. For many people, that may be true. For most of the people I meet in Cork North-Central, it is not true. It is tough for people at the moment. It is tough to select what to cut and what to pay for today. People must ask which bill to ignore until next month. The biggest fear of the Irish people is often the should of the postman's knock and the bill that will arrive through the door. Many families are telling me in my constituency office that if something goes wrong, if there is one little cost, if the young fellow or the young one has to go to hospital or there are braces to be bought, they do not know how they are going to survive. That is not good enough.

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