Fianna Fáil TD for Mayo Lisa Chambers has called on the Government to intervene and stop VAT of 23 per cent being imposed on food supplements from today, Friday, March 1.
Speaking on the matter Deputy Chambers said: "Imposing VAT of 23 per cent on food supplements is yet another attack by this Government on the most vulnerable people in our society. I raised this matter at the Fianna Fáil front bench meeting on Tuesday and I got full support from colleagues to oppose this change on food supplements,”
"People are taking various food supplements for a range of different reasons in an effort to live a healthier life. Many have chronic illnesses that require certain food supplements to manage and cope with their illness."
"Placing VAT of 23 per cent on food supplements will drastically increase the cost and a lot of people using these supplements already have huge hospital and medication bills, not to mention the pressure people are already under in terms of the cost of living,” she continued.
"Quite frankly, it is unfair and unjust to hit people on this level. Government have to have some heart and compassion, something they are clearly lacking. They have allowed a two tier health system develop, forgetting about people who cannot afford health insurance and are struggling to live on disability payments,” she stated
"It is clear this Government is completely out of touch with ordinary people and their daily struggles. Before Christmas An Taoiseach said “food supplements very rarely do anything for our health. They are mostly snake oil and just cost people money”. This is a completely false and ignorant statement to make; you only need to speak to people who actually use food supplements to understand the significance it makes to their health and lives,” she said
"There is absolutely no doubt that this change will have a detrimental impact on people’s lives as well as the sector and I am calling on the Government to intervene and put a stop to this before it is too late."
