The Restaurants Association reports that 856 restaurants and cafes closed in Ireland in 2024, as the industry faces challenges from rising costs and stagnating tourism numbers
The RAI said that to compile its monthly closure figures, it commissions Vision Net to send it the relevant Companies Registration Office (CRO) liquidations data for the hospitality industry. As well as this, its closure figures incorporates sole traders which are not included in the CRO data.
These sole trader closures are identified and verified by the RAI through its own membership database, local media reports and social media.
Amongst the latest casualties is La Barista café, located on Enniscorthy’s Cathedral Street opposite St Aidan’s Cathedral, has permanently closed after two and a half years, with the owners announcing the closure to their community on Christmas Eve.
According to the RAI, closures accelerated after September 2023 when VAT increased, and stated: one of the only things that we can actually control is to reduce the Vat rate back to 9pc.
