Harris promises cost-of-living pledges after energy bill concerns

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

Simon Harris has sought to ease voters’ concerns over energy prices, after political opponents said a Fine Gael policy would increase bills for homes and businesses.

Hospitality VAT has emerged as one of the first key election rows after Fine Gael vowed to cut rates for food-related businesses to 11 per cent.

The pledge, which Fine Gael’s opponents said would increase electricity and energy bills, came just weeks after no change to the hospitality rate was implemented in the Budget.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said it meant gas and electricity prices would have to rise, and that his party had committed to keeping VAT at 9 per cent for energy prices.

He also said the Fine Gael proposal would increase VAT on gym memberships.

However, the Taoiseach promised on Sunday that “there is more to come” on his party’s cost-of-living measures.

Mr Harris said: “We can’t say to business people ‘we can’t help you, because we also have to help householders’.

“Governments have to be able to do more than one thing at a time, and let me assure you, and most importantly, assure people getting electricity and energy bills: you haven’t heard from Fine Gael yet on our policy proposals in relation to that.”

He added: “There is more to come though in our cost-of-living measures, because we’re absolutely, absolutely committed to helping people with the electricity and energy bills.”

Responding to Mr Martin’s criticism, he said gym memberships would not increase as Fine Gael was introducing a separate tax credit.

Mr Harris said: “We have also said we’re introducing a tax credit for gym membership worth €50.

“So let’s say your gym membership is €500, you go up to €509 if the VAT changes, but it’ll come down by the €50 tax credit, so gym membership costs will fall under the Fine Gael plan.

“I know Micheál is into the fitness, although I think he’s more a walker than a gym man.”