Business Regulation
Dail Éireann — 2026-07-15
============================================================

John Clendennen (FG), Offaly

I have a number of asks. First, we need to look at the effectiveness of the local enterprise office, LEO, reporting to the local authority and Enterprise Ireland. There is a question there of effectiveness. I would also like to see the local authority leading out on enterprise parks to give opportunities for businesses. I would like to see more competition in the banking sector and looking at new creative ways of accessing finances for small businesses. I would like to see the following approach. A good example is what the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland, VFI, has proposed in relation to an on-trade keg of draft beer or cider sustainability scheme where there would be proportionate and focused support for small pubs, considering their vital role in local communities. They are no different from newsagents or hardware stores where they are providing not just employment and economic activity but they are social anchors in our community as well. This scheme proposing a tax credit of €20 on every 50-litre keg of draft beer would be a huge tangible benefit to our local communities. I ask for it to be considered in the 2027 budget. This will not just protect the heart and soul of our commercial trading but it will protect our social activity and jobs and will support businesses. We would continue to see that rural and regional development and activity and build on the work that has been done.
I do not want this to be seen as being critical of the Government. We are moving in the right direction. We are on the right trajectory in relation to trying to cut out that red tape to ensure there is a seamless way of going about business and that it is encouraged. Far too often, we see now where there are challenges around succession from one generation to the next in family businesses. We have to ask: why is that happening? We need to see a broader and greater appeal and ensure that we do not see lights go out. One in five pubs has closed over the past 20 years. We see similar trends in relation to shops like newsagents and others. There is a real opportunity now to build on the work of VAT 9 in the last budget and to ensure that we continue to support small business.

---

Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted.

Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-07-15/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:08+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-15