This is a summary of the wish list from Ireland’s tourism and hospitality industry for Budget 2024
Irish Tourism Industry Confederation requests
- Retain the 9pc tourism VAT rate and support Irish competitiveness
- Expand and Improve the Business Energy support scheme to mitigate cost of business
- Address capacity challenges across accommodation, car hire and infrastructure
- Invest to fund sustainability initiatives and support vulnerable enterprises
- Enhance employment permits to Improve labour supply and unlock national training Fund surplus
Restaurant Association of Ireland requests:
- Permanent VAT rate of 9pc for the restaurant sector, or an extension until the end of 2025, to provide certainty and support for the industry.
- In-person recruitment mission to promote Irish tourism and hospitality careers in other European countries.
- Occupations related to chefs should be moved to Critical Skills Work Permits to address labour shortages.
- Removal of certain occupations from the Ineligible Occupations List, making them applicable for general work permits, suggestions are hotel and accommodation managers, restaurant and catering establishment managers (food & beverage manager & restaurant supervisor applicable), publicans and managers of licensed premises, catering and bar managers (food & beverage manager & restaurant supervisor applicable)
- Adequate resourcing of government departments and the Workplace Relations Commission to ensure timely processing of applications and oversight of employment law.
- Establishment of a National Tourism and Hospitality Training Authority.
- A review of charges by local authorities,
- Reopening of outdoor seating schemes,
- Introduction of an outdoor hospitality capital scheme,
- Review of regulatory systems affecting businesses,
- Reinstatement of the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme,
- Review of the commercial rates system to lower local commercial rates for affected towns,
- Establishment of a national register of food businesses,
- Support for tourism and hospitality SMEs.
- Reduction of alcohol excise in Budget 2024 and 2025
- A review of State Agencies,
- A Restaurant & Hospitality Forum,
- Industry-developed tourism policy,
- €5 million fund for food tourism development.
- Changes in public service procurement
- inclusion of comprehensive culinary and nutritional education in the primary and secondary syllabus.
- Initiatives to maintain investment levels, address the cost of living crisis, improve job quality, enhance data collection, support regional spread of tourism, set emission targets, provide finance and investment for sustainability, simplify planning for energy efficiency, and reduce food waste.
Restaurants Association of Ireland anticipations
- No return of 9pcVAT rate, will be considered down the line
- Support package for businesses affected by government contracted accommodations for refugees & asylum seekers
- Energy supports to replace TBESS
The 9pc Vat: Department officials were always opposed
Economist Jim Power told the ITIC conference that department officials were always opposed to the 9pc VAT rate.
