Irish fashion and lifestyle glossies – and many other types of magazine titles – tend to target the same customer as UK- produced equivalents with which they share shelf space. But the publishers of the latter benefit from a 0 per cent VAT rate in their home market.

In its pre-budget submission, Magazines Ireland is coveting the same. The association, which represents 38 publishers producing 178 titles across the consumer, business and contract markets, wants Minister for Finance Michael Noonan to zero-rate magazines in October's budget.

In Ireland, VAT is currently levied on magazines at a rate of 9 per cent, the same rate that applies to newspapers.

Rebecca Markey, who chairs Magazines Ireland, says the magazine sector suffered "disproportionately" during the recession due to increased competition.

“The proximity of the UK market, with its plethora of titles flooding the Irish magazine market, provides an ongoing threat to the Irish magazine sector,” says Markey, who is chief executive of publishing house IFP Media.

Zero-rating magazines would help guarantee “a strong, independent and vibrant press sector” by doing one simple thing: encouraging more people to buy them.