700 enterprises closed, 270,000 jobs at risk: Ireland's SMEs demand government action

Khalid Umar Malik
17 Oct 2024,

• Hundreds of hospitality, tourism, retail, childcare, and other small business owners and workers protested in Dublin over rising costs, which they claim is a lack of government assistance.
• The protestors gathered near Merrion Square before marching past Government Buildings and the Department of Finance to Leinster House.
• Business people and workers from all over Ireland traveled to Dublin to take part.

DUBLIN, Ireland - Hundreds of hospitality, tourism, retail, childcare, and other small business owners and workers protested in Dublin over rising costs, which they claim is a lack of government assistance.

The protestors gathered near Merrion Square before marching past Government Buildings and the Department of Finance to Leinster House.

Business people and workers from all over Ireland traveled to Dublin to take part.

The protestors carried placards with slogans such as "Hospitality SMEs left out in the cold" and "270,000 hospitality livelihoods under threat."

They chanted, "Keep Ireland open."

Paul Lenehan, President of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, told the audience that the cost of doing business had spun out of control, and the government had refused to take serious action to solve the situation.

According to Lenehan, firms have no choice but to protest.

He stated that the government has not yet listened to the industry, but the upcoming general election would be critical because all 270,000 individuals in the sector will vote.

If they want our support, something must change, he added.

Tnaiste Mchel Martin previously stated that the government should consider the cost basis for the hospitality industry.

On his way into a Cabinet meeting, Martin said he recognized the challenges small businesses face in retail and hospitality, particularly in light of recent hikes in minimum wage and energy expenses.

"They are feeling the pressure, mainly due to rising costs in various areas.

"I believe the government should consider the cost base of hospitality. The quick increase in the minimum wage over the previous two years has impacted retail and hospitality.

"There are concerns to work on in terms of supporting a better environment, both on the regulatory front and in terms of cost front for hospitality and energy."

Protesters complained about unsustainable prices and a lack of significant support from the government in the budget.

The protest was organized by the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) and the Vintners' Federation of Ireland (VFI), with assistance from the Irish Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Association (ISME).

According to the groups, many expenditures are driven by government policy initiatives, including hikes in the National Minimum Wage and paid statutory sick days.

"Restaurateurs, small coffee shop owners, and others in the hospitality industry are hardworking people operating in an extremely challenging business environment," said Adrian Cummins, RAI's CEO.

"They would much rather be serving delicious meals and welcoming guests from across the country and the world than traveling to Dublin to protest."

"Unfortunately, the lack of assistance for hospitality and small businesses in Budget 2025 made this protest inevitable."

On RT's Morning Ireland, he stated: "Nearly 700 enterprises have closed in the last 13 months since the VAT rate was raised to 13.5%.