Restaurant Association of Ireland figures show 612 restaurants, cafés, gastro pubs and other food serving businesses shut their doors since September 1st 2023.
Last month alone, 35 businesses closed according to the RAI.
CEO Adrian Cummins wants to see the VAT rate for the hospitality sector cut from 13 point 5 per cent to 9 per cent in the budget:
"This is having a huge detrimental effect on our industry, where we're seeing now on average, two restaurants a day closing down. And our ask, with regard to the budget, is in terms of a reinstatement of the 9% VAT rate to give the industry a fighting chance over the next twelve months."
