Finance Bill 2022: Second Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2022-11-29
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Jerry Buttimer (FG), Labour Panel

I know the Senator would say that because, in fairness, that is what he is going to say. It is the single transferable speech that he and his colleagues are given. This Finance Bill is about putting money back into people's pockets with a fairer income tax package for everybody. That is the fundamental point.
On Committee Stage, we will look at different sections of the Bill. I wish to raise a few points on the hospitality sector in the time available to me. Today the Cork branch of the Irish Hotels Federation, IHF, together with the federation itself, presented to many of us a document on supporting tourism jobs and the uncertainty in the future of the hotels sector. I am not a member of the IHF, nor do I fly a flag for it, but it is a hard-pressed industry that is important to the fabric of the city I come from. It is important in creating and providing employment and in helping the economic outlook of the city. We must look at this in the context not just of the 9% VAT rate but of the escalating business costs for the hospitality sector. During our debate on the Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill earlier, I made the point about costs going up with respect to energy, food suppliers, beverages, laundry and insurance. We are facing into an economic headwind. Our domestic tourism product is facing challenging forward-looking booking numbers. I say that in the context of the review of national aviation policy that is being undertaken.
I welcome the opportunity to debate this important Bill and I hope that, in time, we will be able to examine its various sections. I commend the Bill to the House.

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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