Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Gabh mo leithscéal. Last Friday afternoon I was quite shocked at what I found in Galway city. Retail is on its knees there. The reason I am shocked is that many people, including the retailers, view Galway city as being paved with gold. However, when the rent, the rates and the revenue are put together, they are creased. I am particular talking about small independent retailers. These people contribute rent and rates and fill our streets with hustle and bustle but, while listening to the retailers, having spent half an hour to 40 minutes in most of the shops, between zero to two customers entered each of those shops.

My message to the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance is to reduce VAT on retail or watch our small independent retailers close by Christmas. They are not even taking a living wage. I spoke to the proprietor of one of the top 30 rated boutique shops in Ireland. The shop is called PIA. She said it is the VAT that is killing her. She buys stock and pays 23% VAT on it. She then has to slash the price of the stock to get rid of it but still has to pay 23% VAT on the original price. She cannot get a loan from a bank unless her VAT returns are completely up to date. This woman is at the leading edge of the fashion industry-----