Seanad debates

Wednesday, 14 October 2020

10:30 am

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The three party leaders are focused on trying to make the right decisions for our country.

Senator Chambers made the point about the increase in carbon tax and how we are looking to do that. We want to do it gradually with all of the gains from that change in carbon tax being used to deal with the issues to which she referred.

On Senator McGahon's contribution, there was indeed a wide array of measures in the budget yesterday to deal with the green issues he touched on.

I want to again recognise the way Senator Ahearn has raised many different issues with regard to tourism within his community. That is why I believe that the reduction in VAT is the right move at the right time.

In response to Senator Craughwell, we are doing much to support and respond to the needs of the Defence Forces. I am very much aware of the work they have done in recent months in dealing with this terrible disease.

In response to Senator Conway, we have all played a role in trying to get our economy to the point where it is able to fund the kind of measures it is now funding. Maybe, just maybe, the impact of many decisions over many years has a different quality now when we need to borrow more than €20 billion very suddenly. The Senator has, over many years, raised the issue of tourism businesses in County Clare and beyond. He also raised the issue of the importance of supporting Shannon Airport. In the budget yesterday, as the Senator has been good enough to acknowledge, we looked to respond to that unbelievably important part of our economy that offers so much to our society.

In conclusion, in this budget we have tried to create a framework within which our country can navigate through the time ahead. We will do that and will come through this crisis. While I acknowledge those words can appear hollow to many at the moment who are dealing with such difficulty in their lives due to this disease, in the decisions we have made and may yet make, we will do all we can to support our country in the journey ahead.

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