Mattie McGrath demands lifeline for rural hospitality sector
Mattie McGrath spoke on 15 Oct 2024 about the hospitality sector and rural businesses, arguing the recent budget failed to provide a lifeline and calling for amendments to the Finance Bill and Social Welfare Bill. He appealed for a full debate on support for the catering industry, stressing its role in rural employment and recovery.
Appeal for debate and amendments
He criticised the budget for not reducing the bat to 9% and said businesses expected a lifeline. He urged an immediate debate and amendments to the Finance Bill and raised objections to related measures in the Social Welfare Bill.
Scale of the sector
He cited figures saying 270,000 people are involved in the catering business, 69% of whom are outside Dublin, and argued the sector is a vital part of the rural economy and recovery.
Closures and family businesses
He warned that at least 615 restaurants closed in the last 12 months here alone, and highlighted that many catering firms are family businesses, some in their second generation, providing local employment.
Government response and parliamentary avenues
A government representative responded that the challenges facing hospitality are taken seriously and pointed to parliamentary opportunities to debate the issue - the Dole order, a private members' motion scheduled this week, and the upcoming Finance Bill debate as times to consider support measures.
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There are thousands of restaurants and small business people outside, pub owners, hotel owners, you know, the catering industry, a vital industry to rural Ireland, and it was a slap of the teeth for them. I told you, you turned it back on completely, that you didn't reduce the bat to 9% in the recent budget. So I'm appealing now on behalf of rural independence that we have a proper debate on this and something we've done. 270,000 people are applied in this business, 69% of whom are outside of Dublin, a vital part of our rural economy and to our recovery. as well here in this country, and Taoiseach, they expected to get some lifeline. There are already 615 restaurants closed last year, at least here alone, and in the last 12 months. I can't imagine, or they can't imagine, they're just totally propagated that you didn't give them some stop in the budget to try and keep them alive. They needed a lifeline, they didn't get it. So we're appealing here now for a debate on this issue, and that you make some amendments in the Finance Bill, and I also object to that being galatine as well, and also the Social Welfare Bill. So it seems that you're looking at a short-term electoral game, rather than securing businesses that many are family businesses, the second-told generation, giving out the time, providing employment, the employees are also here today with them, so this is a very serious situation for rural independence. Deputy McGrath. Deputy McGrath, Deputy McGrath, Deputy McGrath I take seriously the challenges facing the hospitality sector, their cost-based. We can have a debate another time about some of the things we have done in relation to trying to assist in that budget, but I would say from the point of view of the Dole order this week, there is obviously time, through the private members' motion, a significant time being given aside to debate that issue this week, and also there will be an opportunity when we debate the Finance Bill to consider these matters, too. Okay, I have the proposed resolution.
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