Revised Living with COVID Plan – No Dates – No Metrics – No Plan – Lacking in Detail

Government announcement doesn’t go far enough – Restaurant & Hospitality Sector given no hope & no confidence.

The Restaurant Association of Ireland has reacted with disappointment, dismay and concern to the Government’s latest announcement regarding the “Living with Covid – Resilience and Recovery” plan.

Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland Adrian Cummins said, “The announcement made this evening by An Taoiseach Micheál Martin T.D. doesn’t go far enough in terms of outlining a roadmap for reopening of the hospitality and restaurant sector with the provision of key dates, metrics and targets in order to reopen our industry and get 180,000 workers back to work.”

The Restaurants Association of Ireland has continuously called for a structured, clear and transparent reopening plan. With over 50% of restaurants on the verge of collapse a plan would give hope and confidence to a sector effectively closed for over twelve months.

The Restaurants Association of Ireland is calling on the Government to engage in constructive dialogue to give hope and assurance for the thousands of businesses who are trying to plan a way forward for their enterprises and hundreds of thousands of workers needed to support their families.

The Restaurants Association of Ireland recognises the roadmap to recovery and reopening must be about lives and livelihoods and we as an industry will continue to follow public health guidelines at all times as we have done so for the last 12 months.

Our immediate priority now is to secure extra business supports for our industry, including:

• Plan for reopening with metrics
• EWSS – Continuation into 2022
• CRSS – doubling of current rate to cover fixed costs & continuation into 2022.
• Commercial rates waiver extended until 2022.
• Restart Grant for reopening costs
• 9% VAT rate retained until 2025.
• Debt warehousing and supports through financing.
• Staff retention – upskilling & equitable apprenticeship programme
• Representation on state tourism boards & The Tourism Recovery Oversight Group
• Stay & Spend Scheme – need to replace with a voucher scheme for reopening.
• Review of licencing and the Night-time Economy
• Inclusion on taskforces making decisions for frontline workers including the vaccine certificate consultation group.

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