Open Letter to
Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan T.D.
And
Minister for Trade Enterprise and Employment
Mary Coughlan T.D.
Dear Ministers,
I write to you as the current President of the Drogheda & District Chamber and appeal to both of you to act urgently to assist the commercial and retail sectors of this country to stem the flow of income and sales North to the jurisdiction of the U.K. government.
On Monday next 1st December we in this part of the island of Ireland increase our V.A.T. rate from 21% to 21.5% while the Northern Ireland economy sees a reduction from the present 17.5% rate to 15% ignoring all the other negative factors which mitigate against us for a moment we are disadvantaged to the tune of 45% on the V.A.T. issue alone.
The Belfast City Council and the City and County Councils all over Northern Ireland are four square behind their business sector and have organised a Republic Wide advertising campaign to attract the southern shoppers into their stores and hotels and restaurants with even more incentives. Free Parking in the car parks under their control, media coverage of what is available and where, extending opening hours etc etc. They are helping to save and support employment for their residents and it is being done largely at our expense. Sainsbury’s supermarket in Newry is their leading store across the entire U.K. for turnover and this is almost exclusively because of Southern shoppers.
We have built a Motorway and a landmark bridge at the Boyne River to see our jobs safely across the border with every car and in case they had any inclination towards shopping in this town we are charging them to get in and out of it through the Toll booths that bar the way and grab a fee first before anyone gets an opportunity to show loyalty or patriotism as was called for by you most recently.
The local Borough Council in Drogheda have been proactive and supported the retailers here announcing a free parking facility in all their owned car parks from 4th December until 24th December for four hours each day 11.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. which is most welcome but not nearly enough to assist us.
We need the V.A.T. rates reduced immediately Ministers and we need you to realise how critical this is to the very survival of these businesses. We need the National Toll Roads to lift the barriers to business in Drogheda immediately and we need your help to do that as well.
We need the multi-chains operating in this island to play fair with the southern economy and the southern people and have parity of pricing and we need the Irish owned companies to lead the way which will compel the rest to follow, we need your help to get that done Ministers.
We need the banks to actively support the business sectors and allow the cash flow to trade that they all so desperately need now, not at some unspecified time in the future right now Ministers.
We need a fighting chance to compete Ministers and between you, you can give us a fighting chance we can do the rest but not with both hands tied behind our backs. The simple economics of this request speak for themselves if we keep our retailers open for business and doing business in a fair market where they can compete we save jobs not just theirs all the businesses that feed into the retail business sector. If we keep those jobs we avoid the additional burden on the public coffers to provide social welfare to those who will lose their jobs otherwise when many of those businesses collapse from the strain they are under. If you as a Government do those things and support these businesses with practical and immediate action now those businesses will continue to be in a position to support this country in its fiscal management, they cannot do that from the bankruptcy courts no one wins.
On behalf of all the members of this Chamber and all the people and businesses in this district and county I implore you please make these important decisions, we call you to action and we await your immediate response to that call.
Patricia Rooney
President
Drogheda & District Chamber
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