I will leave the question of the sectoral order to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment as it relates to it. I will observe that the Low Pay Commission pays a strong role in wages across every sector. We have had legislation on payment of wages in tips and on sick pay. There have been a number of increases in minimum wage. I note the foregoing in respect of pay, which is a hugely important part of what Senator Higgins is raising in terms of the analysis of the report. On VAT, the application of State …

I appreciate the Senator’s point about the divisions of Government. There is nothing more frustrating than somebody saying that is the responsibility of a different Department. I understand that. However, there are many tools that can be used. Tax is one of them. Subsidies and grants are another piece in relation to tourism and can be more targeted and beneficial to achieve the things the Senator is talking about in relation to just transition and other things. Unfortunately, this is a Finance Bill.

I will take this opportunity to reflect on vacancy. I acknowledge the great difficulties faced by many people and families at this moment. The need to address vacancy and the housing crisis is a priority objective of the Government. Senators are aware that in Housing for All the Government has set out a suite of incentives to try to encourage the reuse of properties and increase the supply of housing. Following a commitment made in Housing for All, a new vacant homes tax was announced in the budget and legislated f…

I thank the Senator for raising the issue. It is the intention of Revenue to publish such information. It will publish details of recipients of the scheme in due course, but I can tell the Senator, in advance of that, that I am advised by Revenue that fewer than ten businesses with a connection to the economic activity defined as data processing, hosting and related activities applied for registration under the scheme. For reasons of taxpayer confidentiality, of course, Revenue does not provide a breakdown of detai…

I thank the Senator for raising the issue. The TBESS is for businesses and it has an important state aid element to it. A charity that carries on a trade, the profits or gains of which would be chargeable to tax under case 1 of Schedule D but for the exemption provided for in section 208(2)(b)of the Taxes Consolidation Act, would be regarded as an eligible business under the TBESS as regards that trading activity. A number of charities would come under the terms of the scheme. Where a charity is engaged in number o…

I thank Deputy Ó Murchú, who has raised a couple of different issues, including motor insurance and public liability. Let me separate the different issues and respond. The Deputy has quite correctly raised the outstanding public liability work that has to be done, and the impact which that has. He also raised motor insurance and said there was a reduction of 5% in the first half of last year. I presume the Deputy is referring to the national claims information database, NCID report published yesterday. He said that…

I am glad to hear that Deputy Ó Murchú takes that approach, that it is about changing the insurance environment and that it is about engagement. However, and I know he is not suggesting it, the Government cannot get directly involved in the setting of insurance or get involved in the market in that way. I know that it is not what he is suggesting. I assure the Deputy that I have met the Alliance for Insurance Reform, that the Minister for Finance, Deputy McGrath, has also met them, that I am meeting Fáilte Ireland …

I have a difficulty because this is not a court. This is a conversation about a matter referred to by the Deputy that may, in fact, go in front of a court in terms of a dispute resolution process. I have every sympathy with every workplace issue, but without getting into the details of any individuals or any company. This is not a conversation I believe should be happening in this Chamber, particularly when there are potentially live matters at stake for a different statutory dispute resolution body and where reput…

What I said, irrespective of the script, was that I urge all parties to resolve their difficulties, without getting into the specifics of any individual case. The Deputy is entitled to use her time her way and I am also entitled to express my opinion. I am also entitled to say that the reason I do not want to get into the specifics, and I do not know if the Deputy has assumed bad faith or something on my part, is that I do not wish to prejudice any future process. This is a matter that may go to a dispute resolutio…

I think great detail was provided.

I will have to go back and look-----

I thank Senator Garvey for raising this important issue in Lahinch and more broadly around the country. I will cut to the chase with the Senator. The Department has told me the new treatment plant for Lahinch is currently at feasibility stage, it expects to be at planning permission stage in 2024 and ready for construction in 2025. It is a €20 million to €50 million project. In the meantime, Uisce Éireann is working with the local authority and others to minimise impacts. That is the plan. The Senator is quite righ…

I could not agree more with the Senator regarding the way in which State agencies - I am not singling out Uisce Éireann - lean into the citizens and residents of this State and provide information to them in a really stakeholder and customer focused way to make it as easy as possible for people to access the information they deserve to have at every point in their lives. When a disruption or moment of vulnerability happens or any sort of inconvenience of this kind where we know and have the information, being able …

I appreciate the opportunity to speak on the Bill, which has been passed by the Dáil. The Bill is relatively short and provides for some of the cost-of-living measures announced by the Government in late February. The full package of measures will cost €1.2 billion and will put money back into people's pockets, help with bills and ensure that there is no cliff edge for the temporary measures already in place. The Government has acted repeatedly and on a significant scale to address the cost-of-living challenge we h…

I thank all Senators for contributing. I will start with Senator Kyne's contribution on the overall tax burden. I completely agree with what he and Senator Garvey said about putting money back in people's pockets. The approach of this Government has been to extend the bands. That is a cost of living measure in itself, supporting families and supporting individuals who have earned money to keep more of that money. Indeed, Senator Warfield talked of mortgage interest relief but perhaps rejects the idea of tax changes…

The Deputy-----

The Deputy is not considering the AHBs.

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. Before giving him a proper answer in respect of the Central Bank and mortgage protection, as a constituency Deputy, I completely understand the scenario he is raising. I will not comment on any individual case but I too have had cases of mortgage holders trying to contact providers and not being able to get through. If it is the other way around, such communication is registered as a "not call back". There is an imbalance in respect of communication and in how p…

I assure the Senator that, while the Central Bank is an independent regulator, the Minister for Finance engages with the Governor monthly, and the question of regulation and engagement with non-bank lenders has been raised and continues to be raised. The Central Bank has advised it expects all regulated entities to take a consumer-focused approach in respect of any decision that affects their customers. In particular, the protection of mortgage loan borrowers, including those in arrears, is a key priority and the C…

Your facts.