Maria Byrne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I raise the plight of small businesses, especially SMEs. In the latter half of 2023, 280 small coffee shops and restaurants closed and this is most frightening. We are now in February of 2024 and there are still some businesses closing. It is down to the increased costs that are being put on these small business owners, the VAT increase from 9% to 13.5% for the gastropubs and restaurants, and the cost of their gas bills, rents and rates. There was a rates amnesty which is now ended. I spoke to a small business owner the other day who has two tables and chairs outside the premises and who got a bill for €2,500 from the local authority because the amnesty was said to be gone. There are two tables and four chairs at each table. The piece of land outside the door looks like it is part of the person's premises rather than the public street.

Small businesses just cannot cope with any more charges. The 9% rate needs to be reconsidered. We also should not have introduced the auto-enrolment, the increased sick pay, and the increased minimum wage.I am not against any of these things and I do not think businesses are against them but they should have been brought in on a phased basis, and not all happening in the month of January, which is the leanest month for all small businesses. Something really needs to happen; otherwise, with 280 businesses closing in the latter half of 2023, I hate to think of how many businesses will close between now and June 2024.