President’s Report – October 2024

As I sit down to write this, it’s difficult to express just how deeply disappointed we all feel following the announcement of Budget 2025 last week. Despite intense speculation leading up to Budget Day – speculation that the reinstatement of the 9% VAT rate was an active option until the night before, at which point an 11% compromise rate was considered – our sector was ultimately let down. 

Not only did the Government not reinstate VAT9, but it also failed to take any meaningful, proactive steps to address the escalating cost base that food-led businesses are battling daily. Instead, we’ve been handed yet another short-term piecemeal grant of €4,000, a measure that will do little to stem the tide of closures in our industry.

Let me be clear: this outcome is not due to a lack of effective lobbying from Adrian and the entire RAI team, who have worked tirelessly for 12 months on behalf of the industry, making the case for the need for support on Budget Day. The RAI fought every step of the way to make our case heard in the halls of power. The stark reality, however, is that despite receiving the message that our industry is in crisis in Leinster House and in every café and restaurant they visited, the Government chose not to listen.

In the days that followed the Budget, I witnessed a level of anger among operators on the ground that I had never seen before. There is a real sense that we have been disregarded, left to fend for ourselves at a time when the very survival of many businesses hangs in the balance, primarily due to a raft of Government policies that have added significantly to our cost bases.

But this fight is far from over.

Next Tuesday, October 15th, the Restaurants Association of Ireland will be spearheading a protest of SMEs and hospitality businesses from across the country outside Leinster House from 2pm to 4pm. We will assemble at the Pepper Canister Church at 1pm and I urge every single one of you to be there. This is our chance to show the Government that, going forward, we will not be ignored.

We need as many boots on the ground as possible, particularly with a general election on the horizon. Our sector employs 270,000 people nationwide and our voice is one that must be listened to. This protest is about more than just VAT9. It’s about the future of our industry, of indigenous businesses in Ireland more generally and about demanding that we are given the respect and support we deserve.

Let’s stand together for our Day of Action on October 15th and make sure our message is impossible to ignore.