The Association provided to the Department of Finance this week our Pre Budget Submission.
We specifically sought a re-evaluation pf the methodology used to calculate the living wage (thankfully deferred until 2029).
We also requested that the State takes full cognicance of the sector-specific costs that our businesses incur, given the high levels of labour, energy, insurance, waste and theft that befall our industry.
Members will be very familiar that we suffer from the high and rising levels of retail crime. We have asked the Minister to direct the Department of Enterprise to assist justice in hastening the grant systems promised in the Program for Government. We have also impressed on the Department of Finance that need to continue to increase funding for additional Gardai, particularly those needed to increase a foot patrol presence in urban areas. The Association also reiterated its belief that we need a radical approval to Duty Free Allowances, Duty Paid Allowance and urged the Department to join with similar-minded EU Member States to withdraw tobacco products from freedom of movement of goods.
We reminded the Department that the inclusion of RUMS into the Accelerated Capital Allowance scheme. We also sought the specific inclusion of a Tax Relief Scheme for the promise of accommodation for Retail Staff, reliefs that should benefit both the employer and the employee,
We urged the Department to consider a methodology that would, similar to the way that VAT is excluded from sales turnover, find a way to exclude excises for fuel, alcohol, tobacco etc from the concept of “turnover”. We note an increasing use of “turnover” as a qualifying principle of entry for compliance, licence and obligations purposes. Excises are monies pledged to the State/Exchequer and are not part of our profit or real wholesale net costs.
We reminded the Department that we are most concerned that the non issuing of Tax Stamps for vape products; we are not arguing against excise duty, solely the way the lack of a sample identification process will most certainly help smugglers and tax evaders.
Finally, we argued for a suspension of both the PSO levies and pass through changes (VOS) what are fundamentally unfair in their composition and represent 20% of our energy bills.
