The Government has redoubled its efforts regarding dereliction. The previous Government did so with the introduction of a number of grants that are being used in a very successful way to turn derelict properties into homes. There is a derelict sites register that is used at the moment. I am sure Galway County Council does not lack will regarding the issue. It sounds like the hotel mentioned by the Deputy is of a bigger scale than a mere home. I will pass on this issue to the Department of Housing, Local Government …

I am going to deal with this issue because it is an issue of such importance to Deputy Burke. He has raised it with me on a number of occasions in addition to raising it with the Minister for Health. As he knows at the moment the capitation fees that are paid to GPs in respect of nursing home residents are the highest paid in respect of any patient recognising the complexity of health needs that I know Deputy Burke will understand probably better than I do. I know this is a difficult issue because we need to find w…

My Department, like finance Ministries elsewhere, is assessing the potential impact of tariffs on our economy. The assessment of our economic outlook, which will incorporate the latest developments in the global economy, will be set out in the spring forecast, which will be published in April. From an economic perspective, the US is our largest bilateral trading and investment partner. In 2023, the latest year for which data are available, Ireland recorded a goods-trade surplus of €50 billion with the US. On the ot…

As I said to the Deputy, the analysis with regard to this is under way. Owing to the uncertain environment we are in, it is appropriate that a number of weeks be taken to do this work. That work will be concluded and published in April. On the imposition of tariffs under the first President Trump Administration, two learnings emerged. First, the EU did respond. The EU has indicated it will respond again in a firm and proportional way. Second, we did see across the period in question that the trading relationship an…

The Deputy put a set of questions to me and I answered them. She wanted to know whether we are particularly exposed to changes happening in global trade, and I said we are and outlined why. She asked if there is an analysis under way to consider risks we face. I confirmed there is, told the Deputy when it would be complete and told her how it would be published. That work is all under way. On the challenges we face because of potential shocks to global trade and what they could mean to our economy, we do have a ver…

As the Deputy will be aware, in making any decisions on VAT rates or other taxation measures, the Government must balance the costs of the measures in question against their impact and the overall budgetary framework. The programme for Government is clear. It commits us to introducing measures to support SMEs, in particular in the retail and hospitality sectors. It acknowledges the increased cost pressures on these sectors and states that this will entail changes to VAT, PRSI and other measures. The programme makes…

I absolutely appreciate the value of the 9% hospitality rate and the help it can offer to the hospitality sector. I understand that 9% is the rate that can have the biggest effect. The timing of this relates to the fact that it will be a significant move. If a move is made - and my view is that when we decide the scope of that move, it should be concentrated on the food and catering sector - its overall cost in a full year will be €675 million. That is a very big decision to make. Decisions of that scale should be …

I understand the value of the 9% VAT rate. It is my intention to be able to deliver such a move, but such a move would entail a significant cost, which is why it needs to be part of the overall budget process. As to what that VAT rate will be applicable to, my view is that it can have the biggest impact on food and catering, as I made clear in my earliest answer to the Deputy. The expansion beyond that would entail additional significant cost, and it is because of all this that we need to make those decisions as pa…

That is not the question the Deputy put to me. The question he put to me-----

No. Let us be clear. The question the Deputy put to me, which is the question I will answer initially - I will go on to clarify - reads: "To ask the Minister for Finance if he will outline Exchequer returns and tax receipts for January 2025 ... " That is the question that was put to me, and I will answer it. I am happy then to elaborate beyond that on the further points the Deputy has made. The Exchequer returns that were published last week show a broad continuation of trends observed over the course of the past f…

The Deputy has been against every attempt to broaden the tax base. He is against all our attempts to do that. He is against carbon tax. He is against local property tax. I ask him not to stand up here and point out to me the dangers of a narrow tax base when he is against any efforts to widen it. He has been against our running budget surpluses, which are in place to deal with the very kinds of risks that could materialise. While we have increased public expenditure in recent years to respond to the many challenges…

We got a real insight into the thinking of Deputy Tóibín and Aontú there. He characterised foreign direct investment as transitional investment in jobs. Is he going to tell the people who work for the semiconductor sector here that their jobs are transitional?

When he leaves Leinster House later, is he going to go down to the docks on the north side and the south side-----

It is what he is saying.

A moment ago he described that investment as transitional investment. I invite him to visit our life science sector, which is located across the length and breadth of Ireland-----

-----to go down to the financial services sector------

-----to go into the manufacturing jobs-----

-----that are located in his constituency and near it.

He should walk into those workplaces and tell those people that their jobs are transitional.

We got an insight into the thinking of Aontú there. The Deputy went on to say we are outsourcing our sovereignty. That is the thinking of the 1950s and 1960s. It is not the thinking that has enabled this country to grow its prosperity. It is not the approach that will help us navigate our way through the challenges that are there.