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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation

Business supports and sport funding

Summary

Deputy Higgins welcomed the budget but said pubs and supermarkets in her area were excluded from the increased cost of business scheme. Deputy Ó Murchú praised Drogheda United's investment plans and wider stadium development, and the Tánaiste said he would raise the school bus issue and noted business scheme details were still being finalised.

We are out of time. I will take two 30-second questions from Deputies Higgins and Ó Murchú.

Comment on this

I welcome this year's budget. I know it will help families and households, but I have had a lot of contact from local businesses in my area that are excluded from the increased cost of business scheme. In particular, pubs and supermarkets in Lucan and Palmerstown are among those businesses that have been in touch. They are in the hospitality and retail sectors, which are really labour-intensive and which also require, by their very nature, a large footprint, which, therefore, increases their rates bills. Based on their rates bills, they will not qualify for Government support, even though they are among the industries most impacted by the increase in the minimum wage, the new bank holiday and mandatory sick pay. Will the Government re-examine the scheme or look to see how we can support these businesses with their costs?

Comment on this

On my behalf and on behalf of Deputy Munster, I commend the board of Drogheda United FC and its chair, Councillor Joanna Byrne, on their work. There has been provisional acceptance of an investment offer by the Trivela Group, which has been okayed by the FAI and which must be finalised at next month's AGM. This project is about keeping the best parts of a community club, professionalising it and developing a new stadium.

Comment on this

Is there a question?

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Yes. Soccer and the League of Ireland need this sort of redevelopment. In order that I do not get lynched, I must also state that Dundalk FC has a development group that is working on short- and long-term plans in relation to the development of Oriel Park. We know that the bid to host Euro 2028 has been a success and that money is needed for the redevelopment of Casement Park. However, money is needed across the board.

Comment on this

Now that Deputy Shanahan is not in the Chamber, you could go down to Turner's Cross in County Cork. We made a lot of incremental investments there to provide a fine little stadium there over the years.

I will talk to the Minister for Education about the issue Deputy Whitmore raised.

Comment on this

Particularly a meeting.

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To get the issue resolved is the main thing. CIÉ should be talking and people should be talking on the ground locally.

On the matter raised by Deputy Higgins, across the budget area, about €250 million has been allocated in terms of business schemes. The precise details have yet to be worked out. Equally, in areas relating to mental health, older people and disability, people come to us saying they could do with more. We have to weigh all of this up. This is a huge budget. In any scheme that has been announced, there are always lines drawn in the context of finance, tax and so on. We have to be clear from here on in that this is a substantial budget. We have been criticised by economists and so on who say it is too big. We will assess everything. There is a degree of finality to the overall framework around this budget, but I hear what the Deputy is saying.

I will follow up with the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media on the matter Deputy Ó Murchú raised. I am not quite clear what the question was.

Comment on this