Cutting the cost of doing business in Clare 

CLARE Fine Gael General election candidate Leonora Carey has described her party’s proposals to reduce VAT and PRSI payments for retail and hospitality businesses as a clear strategy to provide certainty and support local enterprise.

“Within 100 days of Government, Fine Gael plans to reduce the VAT rate to 11 per cent for food-based hospitality, entertainment and hairdressers; provide a PRSI rebate for SMEs and establish a new €4,000 energy grant scheme for retail and hospitality businesses,” Ms Carey explained. 

“A three-year PRSI rebate will also help businesses with fewer than 50 employees and an Energy + Grant will give those businesses in retail and hospitality €4,000 towards their energy bills.

“Encouraging people back into our shops, pubs and restaurants is crucial to supporting business in Clare. Fine Gael will introduce a fund for ‘over the street’ roofs and we will create a diverse night-time economy to drive footfall back into our towns and villages.

“Fine Gael will develop a Retail Crime Strategy and introduce a standalone criminal offence of assaulting a retail worker. We will also ensure that our Gardaí have the necessary resources, including bodycams and facial recognition technology to target repeat offenders.

“Not only will we cut costs for businesses, we will back our retail businesses and workers. We will ensure that businesses get certainty, have clear regulations and cut red tape for businesses. 

“Small businesses are the backbone of the Irish economy. They are at the heart of every community, fuelling local economies, and providing good quality, stable jobs. They are what keep our main streets alive and we need them to survive. 

“With this ambitious plan, Fine Gael will cut the cost of doing businesses in Clare and give local business owners the certainty they need,” Ms Carey concluded.

PHOTO CAPTION: Business Minister Emer Higgins, Ennis Chamber President Sheila Lynch, Hotelier Allen Flynn, Fine Gael General Election Candidate Leonora Carey and Ennis Chamber Chief Executive Margaret O’Brien at the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis.