A Cork hotelier says the hospitality and tourism sector urgently needs a return to the 9% VAT rate.
A coalition of hospitality groups including the Restaurants Association of Ireland and the VFI are hosting an event today to highlight the challenges faced by businesses.
Government raised to VAT rate to 13.5% over a year ago despite an outcry from the industry, who said many would be forced to close.
Speaking to RedFM News IHF President Michael Magner and owner of the Vienna Woods Hotel outlines what the warning to Government was last year:
"It's too early to restore it back to the 13.5% because the industry hasn't recovered, and that if the restoration of the vat rate to 13% was introduced, it would lead to a wave of closures across the industry. And we've seen that, while we've seen a significant number of closures, it's our view those will increase even further if something isn't done to protect those jobs."
