A Sligo Restaurant owner has described the decision to increase the 9 per cent VAT rate as another major blow for business that are looking to recover from a summer where tourist figures were down.
The Restaurant Association of Ireland says the move by the Government will result in thousands of job losses in the sector.
The reduced rate for tourism, hospitality and some other services returned to 13.5% at midnight last night.
It means Ireland will now have the third highest hospitality VAT rate in Europe.
Aisling Kelly who owns the Sligo Oyster Experience, says it’s unfair that all hospitality businesses should suffer to due to the perception that some hotels are doing well:
