Local restaurant owners and publicans called for more support from the government at a protest in Dublin today.
The rally was organised by the Restaurant’s Association of Ireland and the Vintners Federation of Ireland. Among the demands raised outside the Dáil today were the reduction of the VAT rate to 9% for the hospitality sector, as well as more supports for small businesses to face the increasing cost of living. Over a thousand people attended the protest, including business owners from across the region.
Speaking outside Leinster House, Monaghan councillor Raymond Aughey spoke out about the situation that rural pubs and restaurants find themselves in:
"What I would say to the TDs is that we're a sector in crisis. We're not looking for handouts, we're looking for fair play. If we don't get fair play, there'll be so many more pubs closed. We're exporting our pubs all over the world and yet when the visitors come, where's the first place they want to go? They want to go to our pubs. There won't be any pubs left for them to go into. I'm saying to the Government, get smart and look after your own".
