Mary White (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is very much to do with it. Has any one of them ever created a job or ever tried to start up a business? I am raising the issue. The Minister for Finance had better not dare increase the VAT rate on the hospitality sector up to 13%. This morning I was at a meeting in the Dundrum town centre, where there are 40 restaurants creating employment and giving jobs to the people there. If there is an increase in this VAT, I assure the House that jobs will be lost in the hospitality sector. The people who own the little bistros, restaurants and coffee shops throughout the country will not increase their prices. They will not do that. Unfortunately, however, people will lose their jobs or there will be a reduction in their hours. It is a state of anarchy that we have with the four men up there. We do not have any women on it and they do not have an ounce of commercial experience. If they did, they would not be increasing the VAT rate from 9% because they would know that jobs would be lost.

I heard some beautiful words from one of the Senators this morning about another discussion on Action Plan for Jobs. Stop codding me about Action Plan for Jobs. It is pathetic. We are getting very excited about a 0.4% growth in the economy. God Almighty.