Hospitality

Dalata chief on why minimum wage must rise despite increasing costs for business

Dermot Crowley says high rents are damaging the economy and a lower Vat rate for hospitality that excluded hotels would be positive

Dermot Crowley, chief executive of Dalata Hotel Group: ‘We need more places for people to live, so we can see rents starting to come back down.’ Picture: Fergal Phillips

The minimum wage in Ireland needs to increase to deal with the cost of rent, the head of Ireland’s largest hotel operator, Dalata, has said.

Dermot Crowley, chief executive of Dalata, said that while increasing labour costs are a “big concern” for business, the lowest-paid workers are unable to afford accommodation.

For smaller hotel operators, increasing labour costs in Ireland are a “big concern” and they are a significant cost for Dalata as well.

“But ...