Sir, – The Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) has blamed the higher VAT rate of 13.5 per cent along with insurance, energy bills and rising labour costs for the surge in restaurant closures (“Irish restaurant closures approach 600 after VAT hike”, Business, August 9th ).
May I suggest that the cost to the average person of eating out in Dublin is a major factor contributing to such closures? Earlier this year dinner for two cost me just over €100 in a well- established restaurant in Montparnasse, Paris.
Where would you get such value in Dublin? – Yours, etc,
PATRICK O’BYRNE,
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Dublin 7.
