Clare Fm - Podcasts

The Chair of the Clare Tourism Advisory Forum believes lowering the hospitality VAT rate in this region would benefit businesses and consumers alike. It follows the tabling of a Dáil motion by the Rural Independent Group to bring the VAT rate in the tourism and hospitality sectors down from 13.5% to 9% - while Cork TD Michael Collins has proposed reducing it to 5% outside of Dublin. Countries such as Italy, Hunrary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Romania and Portugal have all availed of the EU Reduced VAT Rates Directive to lower VAT rates in peripheral regions. Clare Tourism Advisory Forum Chairperson and Hotel Woodstock co-owner Sean Lally insists the measure should be introduced and he claims the current rate is simply not working.