BUDGET 2025: ‘Many businesses in Cashel may not survive the coming winter months’ says Cashel Chamber of Commerce
Martin Lynch, President of the Cashel Chamber of Commerce, has issued a statement on this week's budget
The President of the Cashel Chamber of Commerce, Martin Lynch, has called the Government's decision not to reinstate the 9% VAT rate for the hospitality industry and the services sector, as "a devastating blow to businesses in Cashel, many of which are already struggling to cope with rising costs and economic pressures."
Mr. Lynch continued: "Despite our repeated calls for support, the measures announced in Budget 2025 fall disastrously short of what is needed to protect our local businesses. Since the VAT rate was increased to 13.5% in September 2023, we have seen a worrying number of closures among restaurants, cafés, and other hospitality venues across the country. This trend is set to continue unless more substantial support is provided."
The statement criticises the Government's minor supports for the hospitality and services industry in this week's budget announcement "as largely irrelevant to the core issue facing all our businesses with the soaring costs of operation."
The Cashel Chamber of Commerce have warned that without more targeted interventions "many businesses in Cashel may not survive the coming winter months when the tourist trade decreases considerably. We need proper, sustainable support mechanisms—policies that will allow businesses to look ahead with confidence rather than lurch from crisis to crisis. One-off grants are not the answer; they are merely a band-aid on a much larger wound.
"We urge the Government to reconsider their stance and provide the necessary support to ensure the survival and prosperity of Cashel’s businesses."
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