Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanad as an deis teacht isteach anseo agus an leasú seo a phlé. Táim buíoch den Seanad go léir as ucht an chomhoibrithe ó gach duine maidir leis an mBille, go háirithe comhoibriú na Seanadóirí Rialtais a chur an leasú os comhair an Tí inniu. I thank Senators for the genuine cross-party co-operation on Brexit from all Members of the House, which I accept. I also accept the genuine feelings people have about the tax rebate scheme.

Senator Ó Donnghaile asked pertinent questions about why there is such a rush and why we are opposing the amendment the Seanad made last week. Senators are right.We have given a political commitment that we will carry out the review that is envisaged by the amendment. The commitment has been given and the review will happen. As I understand, it must happen under Seanad Standing Orders anyway, but we have given the commitment in writing. The situation is that the Bill itself is urgently required ahead of the end of the transition period on 31 December. As Senators know, the reasons for the Bill are to protect consumers, facilitate the sound functioning of key businesses, and continue the common travel area and North-South co-operation. However, it is not just that. If we were to accept the amendment, we would then have to look for Dáil time to get the approval of the Dáil. That presents a real difficulty. The pressure on the Bill is not just due to the time pressure of 31 December, it is also the genuine pressure on officials who are now observing what is going on at the Brexit talks and the discussions of the joint committee on the Northern Ireland protocol. It is the same officials who are looking at all these issues. I left a meeting with Michel Barnier this morning to be here. That is my duty. That is not said by way of complaint. There are genuine time pressures.

What we are doing is asking the Seanad to support the Bill. I will speak on the substance of the amendment. We are looking for the understanding, help and support of Senators to accept the amendment on the basis that it lets us close this book for the time being on this legislation. When the Taoiseach goes to Brussels on Thursday, it allows us to be able to say to our colleagues that we have done everything and that the book is closed. If the European Commission starts to discuss its own contingency measures at this late stage, as there has been pressure on it to do, we can say that we in this country have done what we need to do.

I repeat the commitment of the Minister for Finance that the Department and the Revenue Commissioners will report on the operation of the VAT retail scheme in the course of 2021. That commitment was made genuinely. The only reason the Bill was proposed in the Seanad at this time is simply to do with Dáil pressure and to get the legislation passed. That is not to dismiss the concerns that have been raised or to say that we are not going to do this or that it was a bad idea. I accept this probably should have been done in the Dáil originally, but it was not. That is fine. I have discussed that in the Dáil with the former leader of the Labour Party, Deputy Brendan Howlin, as well. It did not happen.

We genuinely want to do this. We appreciate the co-operation shown by members of all parties on Brexit. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, was in Brussels yesterday. I expect the Taoiseach and I are going to Brussels tomorrow. There are general issues of availability and the officials are in a similar position as well. That is the only reason the Bill is before the Seanad, and the Government is asking the House to let this Bill pass and to accept the political commitment that we have made that we will carry out a review in the course of 2021. It is quite clear as well from a Government point of view that some of the strongest voices were Senators Buttimer and Casey, who are on our own side. The Minister for Finance has a delicate job to do.

I am not directly involved personally in this particular issue. It is the Department of Finance that is involved. The purpose of this Bill is that every Department takes its own sectoral issues. I understand there was strong engagement by the sectors over a long period on this issue with the Department. The Revenue Commissioners will make information available on this. The report will be carried out. As I understand it, a report must be made under the legislation. That is our case here today. We are under severe time pressure and we want to have this done and to continue the other work that is going on with the co-operation of everybody. It is a matter for the Seanad itself and not a matter for me how it conducts its business and what votes are called. That is our case, and I hope Senators accepts the Government's bona fides, as we accept their bona fides on all of these issues, in particular the one in question.