Finance Bill 2022: Second Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2022-11-29
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Tim Lombard (FG), Agricultural Panel

I thank the Chair. I welcome the publication of the Bill and its passage through the Houses. It is a significant statement of intent by the Government. I welcome the boost it will give to the economy.
It is significant legislation. It is nearly 250 pages long and, with legislation of this nature, there are always anomalies within it that the Minister of State might look at. I will reference two of them. One is the issue of the VAT rate pertaining to publications. It is a significant development that a 0% VAT rate on publications will be introduced from 1 January. The Minister of State might clarify why magazines and periodicals are not included in that. The marketplace is becoming unfair when we compare a magazine in west Cork, for example, Bandon's The Opinion , which comes out every month and does the exact same as other publications, with a weekly newspaper such as the Southern Star . One has a 0% VAT rate and one does not. The Minister of State might clarify how that is workable, even on competition lines. It is a serious issue. We have done a good job in bringing the VAT rate down to 0% but we can do more on that issue.
The Bill is a significant document so there will always be anomalies. There is another anomaly regarding excise, in particular, on cider. An excise relief has been brought forward for specially branded cider. However, other fermented products, for example, Kinsale Mead, which produces a unique product, does not qualify for that excise relief because it does not produce a cider-based product. The Minister of State might look at this other anomaly in the legislation.
There are a few anomalies in the legislation that are important for the Minister of State to consider. I ask him to revert to me, if he can.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2022-11-29/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:51:20+00:00
Sitting date: 2022-11-29