Wexford restaurateurs and other hospitality businesses are set to hold a rally outside Leinster House on Tuesday, October 15th, in response to what they describe as a “deeply disappointing” Budget 2025.
Organized by the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) and various small business representative groups, the rally aims to address the perceived lack of government support for the hospitality sector and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the recent budget announcement.
Members of the RAI, along with representatives from the wider hospitality industry, will gather at 1 PM on Mount Street Upper before marching past the Department of Finance and rallying outside Leinster House from 2 PM to 4 PM.
During this time, business owners will discuss the challenges they currently face.
Adrian Cummins, CEO of the RAI, has called on industry members and local communities to attend in large numbers, emphasizing that many restaurateurs and small business owners would prefer to focus on their work rather than protest.
He expressed that the lack of support for the hospitality sector in Budget 2025 made this demonstration necessary.
Paul Lenehan, President of the RAI, echoed this sentiment, urging everyone affected by the challenges facing the hospitality sector and SMEs to join the rally to send a strong message to the government ahead of the upcoming general election.
