VAT Rate Reduction Helping Businesses In Rosslare - Carthy

The drop in the VAT rate for hospitality businesses is being praised for helping our tourism industry.

The tax was reduced from 13.5 per cent to 9 per cent last month in an effort to help out restaurants and the hotel industry.

Hundreds attended a special Community Open Day in St Helen's Bay Resort near Rosslare yesterday as people made the most of what's left of the summer.

Local councillor Ger Carthy says events like that are more popular now as they're not as expensive to attend:

"The reduction in the VAT rate certainly helps a place like here and that's something that needs to be pushed across the county and across the country.

"You know, if you're in Spain or any other area, there's facilities similar to that here right on your doorstep.

"So it's about driving inward investment in tourism and that's I suppose what the local authority and these businesses like St Helen's Bay are to the fore in".

However, the drop in the rate hasn't been welcomed by everyone as the union Siptu says the reduction has failed workers.

It says there's no guarantee that the savings experienced by the businesses are being passed onto the consumer, a situation that was highlighted by the Irish Independent a few weeks ago.

Journalists found just one item across 60 checked saw its price reduced since 1st of July.

Meanwhile, Councillor Carthy says the Rosslare area could bring in up to 10 million euro in tourism investment in the next few years.

He says local authorities are working hard to ensure the place known as the jewel in the Wexford tourism crown is getting the support it needs.

That report was funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.