Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am sharing time with Senator Conway. I welcome the Tánaiste and thank him for all the work he has done in his brief, including the introduction of a new public holiday, provision for remote working, legislation on the treatment of tips and gratuities, supports for workers during the Covid lay-off period and now the introduction of statutory sick pay. I am a former member of the Retail Grocery Dairy & Allied Trades Association, RGDATA, the Convenience Stores & Newsagents Association, CSNA, and the Vintners Federation of Ireland, VFI. While I am no longer involved in those organisations, it is important to state that I was involved in the past. I have received the report on small businesses. I welcome that report and the engagement in this regard by the Tánaiste.

It is the right thing to do to introduce statutory sick pay, especially for people on lower pay. I welcome that it is being introduced on a gradual basis. Many small businesses have gone through a very tough time, as the Tánaiste acknowledged in his opening statement. Senator Crowe noted that they are seeking a rebate scheme, which I ask the Tánaiste to consider. For small niche businesses, in particular, there are increasing costs, including in regard to the minimum wage. Businesses have faced a lot of cost increases in recent times. The cost of everything to do with running a business has risen. I acknowledge that the Government has done much for small businesses and certainly helped to keep them afloat during the Covid crisis and in the context of what is happening with the war in Ukraine. The latter is an unprecedented situation that is not of the Government's making. However, I urge the Tánaiste to look at some sort of rebate scheme for smaller businesses. While I know it is difficult to give to one and not to the other, there are many large businesses that are thriving, while smaller businesses have really felt the pain.