Hospitality

Micheál Martin: Government open to phased tax debt repayment scheme for hospitality sector

Tánaiste said that there has been “unprecedented support” for the hospitality sector in the past three years amid a raft of hospitality closures

Micheál Martin defended the record of the government on supporting the hospitality sector over the last number of years, saying 9 per cent reduction during the pandemic was only meant to be a temporary measure.

The government will examine the prospect of introducing a phased debt repayment scheme for hospitality businesses, Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said.

Speaking to reporters in Cork on Monday, Martin said “that’s certainly something we can look at” when asked about the warehousing of tax debts for hospitality businesses, and confirmed that he would speak to Michael McGrath, the finance minister, to see how that may be structured.

His comments come after the closure of Cork restaurant Nash 19 last week with Adrian Cummins, chief executive of the Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI), saying he was “shocked and saddened” by the closure.