Finding more affordable lunches and dinners in Ireland could get easier, thanks to a bulked-up guide to inexpensive dining, according to the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism.
Mr John O'Donoghue said the 2004/2005 Value Menu Restaurant Guide, an initiative aimed at dealing with complaints about the high price of eating in restaurants, proves you can get value for money in Ireland.
Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr John O'Donoghue
"There has been much debate in recent times about prices and value for money at all levels throughout Ireland, including the hospitality industry. Some of the criticism is justified but much of it is not," he said.
"The participating restaurants and hotels in this initiative are among the very best in Ireland, and this guide is a clear move to show that awareness of the need for competitiveness and value, while delivering a top-class product is to the forefront of business models in the hospitality sector."
However, he warned that cheap restaurants will still be relatively hard to come by. "Ireland is not a cheap holiday destination as some overseas locations are. Nor is it a cheap place to do business."
President of the Irish Hotels Federation, Mr Richard Bourke, agreed that cheap dining, relative to other spots in Europe, was probably too much to ask for. He said it was unfair to compare the price of goods in Ireland with those in places like Spain.
"The minimum wage in Ireland is three times higher than in Spain and you can buy Irish beef up to 30 per cent cheaper in Spain than in Ireland. In addition, Spain has no excise duty and Ireland's VAT rates are one of the highest in the European Union."
The value guide includes 325 establishments throughout the country, a 50 per cent increase from last year's list, offering lunch and dinner menus in three price ranges of up to €15, €25 and €35.
The prices will typically include a two-course meal, and participating restaurants will display Value Menu signs in windows.
The Value Menu Restaurant Guide is produced by the Restaurants Association of Ireland and the Irish Hotels Federation and supported by Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority. It will be made available on August 22.
In addition, a Value Winelist will provide restaurants with a list of merchants selling bottles at low prices. The hope is that savings will be passed to restaurant patrons.