Darragh O'Brien (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

What is the Government's position? It is clear the process in both Houses for preparing for the budget is wrong. We have heard indications through the media from the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, that he will increase the VAT rate to 13.5% for the hospitality and food sector, but there is no debate on it. One initiative the Government took, which I welcomed at the time, was the reduction in the rate to 9%. It actually worked and I commend the Government on that. It has created in the order of 15,500 jobs in the hospitality sector but we have had no debate on the issue. With that in mind, I propose to table an amendment to the Order of Business - that the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, or the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, come to the House for one hour to allow us a debate so that we may try to elicit from him whether the Government proposes to increase the VAT rate to 13.5%. We have plenty of time as we are scheduled only to debate tackling bullying in schools. My Fianna Fáil colleagues and I contend that the reduction in the VAT rate for the hospitality sector was a good move from Government. We welcomed it at the time and it should be retained.