Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

While I am not delighted with the Minister of State's response, as my party is involved in the confidence and supply arrangement I will withdraw my support for the amendment, having had a decent and robust debate on it. The Minister of State may argue that this is not a revenue-raising measure but anyone who was previously paying a 0% rate of VAT on products and is now paying 13.5% will not see it that way. I accept the Minister of State's point but equally, some people who were paying 0% on products are now paying 13.5%, and if they stop paying, there may be a false economy. However, I accept the point the Minister of State is making.