Tourism Industry
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-22
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Michael Cahill (FF), Kerry

I welcome the opportunity to raise the very real challenges facing our hospitality and tourism sector. I acknowledge the Government's decision to reinstate a 9% VAT rate. I have spoken to businesses in Killarney, Cahersiveen, Killorglin, Dingle, Castleisland and elsewhere in Kerry and I have been told very clearly that the return to 9% has made a considerable difference. It is giving businesses some breathing space. It is helping them manage their costs and plan with greater certainty. However, the 9% VAT rate does not exist in isolation. Businesses are facing an ever-spiralling circle of increasing costs. We have seen increases in labour costs, insurance, energy, fuel and other inputs.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-22/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:49+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-22