Up to 120,000 jobs could be lost permanently in the restaurant industry without help from government

The Restaurants Association of Ireland claims 120,000 jobs could be permanently lost in the next two months.

The trade body claims 90 per cent of restaurants may not reopen even when the Covid-19 pandemic is over.

It’s calling on the government to take nine vital measures to prevent the industry from collapsing.

Chief executive Adrian Cummins says significant support is needed:

He said “If you’re opening with 40% of your volume or your tables taken away, then your fixed costs have to be reduced around local authority rates, so we need assistance from the government, taxation needs to go from 13.5 per cent to 0% in every town, village and city in the country to make those jobs viable and save those jobs”.