Extension of fuel rebate will boost tourism sector – Butler

Fine Gael Meath West TD, Ray Butler, has today (Wednesday) welcomed the decision by the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan TD, to extend the fuel rebate introduced in the Budget to private coach operators. The measure is included in the Finance Bill, which was published this afternoon.

“This will be a welcome boost to the tourism sector, and should facilitate growth and job creation. In December’s Budget, Minister Noonan introduced a very welcome rebate for hauliers and I am glad he has now taken the decision to extend the measure to include private coach operators.

“Private coach operators, which play a crucial role in our tourism sector, have been hit hard by rising fuel prices in recent years. This rebate means they will be able to recoup 7.5 cent on each litre of diesel bought. This will help operators to remain profitable, and should have a positive knock on benefit on jobs.

“The Government has taken a number of steps since it took office to support the tourism sector. This includes the lower VAT rate for tourism services, the launch of The Gathering, and this latest measure for private coach operators. These efforts have already paid off; the number of people employed in tourism related activities has increased by 7,300 since March 2011, and the number of visitors coming here grew for the second year in a row in 2012.

“Today’s Finance Bill also includes a number of measures targeted at the small business sector, including the ten-point tax reform plan. It contains measures to reform corporation tax relief for start-ups, increase the cash receipts basis threshold for VAT, and other measures to improve cash flow for SMEs. I am confident that these combined measures will make a positive contribution to the growth of our small business and tourism sectors.”

ENDS