The Restaurants Association is calling for the 9% tourism VAT rate to be retained for next year.
A survey of the association's members revealed that 70% found the reduced VAT rate had helped their businesses.
30% said they had hired new staff because of it.
The association's chief executive, Adrian Cummins says the new VAT rate must be maintained ahead of the planned 'Gathering' tourist initiative in 2013.
The association is holding its annual conference today and is calling on the Government to scrap any employer-paid sick pay scheme, an immediate end of the upward only rent clause and investment in training programmes for chefs and waiters to work in the catering industry.
It will also urge the Government to put pressure on the banks to help small viable businesses.
The survey also revealed that 85% of restaurants will not be introducing the voluntary calorie counts on menus due to the economic impact on the business. The average cost of such a scheme is about €5,000 per restaurant a year.
The association is holding its annual conference today and is calling on the Government to scrap any employer-paid sick pay scheme, an immediate end of the upward only rent clause and investment in training programmes for chefs and waiters to work in the catering industry.
It will also urge the Government to put pressure on the banks to help small viable businesses.
The survey also revealed that 85% of restaurants will not be introducing the voluntary calorie counts on menus due to the economic impact on the business. The average cost of such a scheme is about €5,000 per restaurant a year.
