Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is very welcome to the Chamber to give us an update on how we are going to move forward. Covid is not the problem; the living with Covid plan of the Government is the issue. It is killing business and society. The silent lie of this Government to those flip-flopping in and out of business is crippling entrepreneurs. There is plenty of money and there are plenty of ideas but the brain drain is sitting at the Government table with no ideas or plans. The Government has little or no respect for the timelines associated with doing business. Can the Minister of State give us details on how much money has been given out to indigenous companies to date? What have been the challenges and how has he addressed them? The problem for many companies is the box they fit into, or do not fit into. There is money in the enterprise centres, Fáilte Ireland and the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland. The Government is giving 80% guarantees to the banks, and I am told the banks are refusing to support Irish companies. What is the Minister of State going to do about that?

Living with Covid is a lie. We have had no plan in this country for 12 months while we have been waiting for a vaccine to cure all our ills. What happens if that fails? Already this morning, we have heard warnings about bird flu. Here we go again. Has the Minister of State a plan for that? Who will pay the bills when the Government fails to support enterprise? People are looking for hope. The Government should give them a firm indication that it has a plan for business. Tough decisions must be made and taken. Has the Minister of State respect for business? How can businesses plan for services or production in 2021? Businesses are one cheque away from closing. God forbid that interest rates will increase. Has the Minister of State a plan for that? I am sure he has a plan for keeping inflation down.

We have already heard the many tales of companies complaining about not getting product because of the massive effect of Covid on production and supply. We all know what happens when supply volumes drop; prices go up. Are we ready for that?

One of the best arms of the State is the Revenue Commissioners. If they can get it right, why can we not employ the same standards in health, education and justice? The reason the Revenue Commissioners get it right is that they deal with businesses every single day. The Government should be mindful of the businesspeople in this country. The business community is the lifeblood of the State. It needs a transfusion now so the Government should get on with it.