Budget 2027
Dail Éireann — 2026-05-20
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Peter 'Chap' Cleere (FF), Carlow-Kilkenny

I appreciate the response but this issue requires a stronger sense of urgency from the Government because the trend lines are moving in the wrong direction. We are seeing more than 120 pubs close every year in this country. Once these businesses disappear from rural communities, they very rarely come back. What concerns many publicans is that although Government policy increasingly recognises the cultural and economic importance of pubs in theory, that recognition is not translated into practical support measures that reflect the realities they face on the ground.
The VFI proposal is a measured and targeted one. It is capped and linked to verified supply costs. It is focused on the on-trade sector and particularly on smaller rural pubs. Importantly, it seeks to support those traditional pubs that do not benefit from the reduced 9% VAT rate because they are not food businesses.
There is a broader point here about parity of esteem. The State rightly supports sectors viewed as culturally or economically valuable through targeted tax credits and incentives. It is done for film, gaming and television production. Surely there is a strong argument for supporting one of the most recognisable parts of Irish social and cultural life, particularly when it plays such an important role in sustaining rural communities. Ultimately, this is not just about pubs; it is about whether rural Ireland continues to have a place where people can gather, connect and maintain community life. Once those spaces are gone, the social consequences are very difficult to reverse.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-05-20/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:47+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-20