Cork campaigners hoping new govt will lower Vat rate and introduce dedicated transport police

Two measures reportedly included in the programme for Government — the reduction of the hospitality Vat rate and the introduction of a dedicated transport police force — have been warmly welcomed in Cork.

Jamie Budd, the owner of Budd’s restaurant in Ballydehob which spearheaded a pre-budget Vat 9% campaign — which aims to restore the Vat rate to 9% — told The Echo: “It’s positive news, we’re just hoping it comes to fruition because we’ve heard empty promises before.

“We were told no way it was going to change before the budget. Leading up to the elections, they said they would change it — which was a bitter pill to swallow — it seemed like it was all about political gain.

“There’s a little bit of doubt in my mind that it will be a double-edged sword. They’ll bring down the Vat but bring in another charge to compensate for it.”

Regardless, he said: “It’s a big win for the industry — it’s been a huge team effort, and the core group of us came from West Cork, which is fantastic.”

Aaron Mansworth, the chairperson of the Cork Business Association and managing director of Trigon Hotels, added: “We are glad to see that those who’ve been elected to Dáil Éireann are listening to the ongoing calls from the hospitality sector to bring the rate back to 9%.

“It’s been a particularly difficult time for the sector and, unfortunately, we have seen many businesses forced to close due to the challenges they’ve been faced with.

“We really believe a reduction in the Vat rate will help to boost the sector.”

Dedicated transport police 

On the transport police, Andrew Quigley, a Siptu representative for Bus Éireann drivers in Cork, told The Echo: “We absolutely welcome this, it’s now imperative that the incoming Government move quickly on it, we’d rather it at the start of their five-year term than the end.

“Part of our submission on this topic would be that we would begin it on a trial basis in Cork, Dublin, and Limerick cities — we did compare costings and reckon it could be done for €10-€15m and about 120 dedicated officers.”

Dermot O’Leary, the general secretary of the NBRU, said that the union “has tirelessly campaigned for this vital resource for many years,” and are “heartened to see our efforts culminate in a significant commitment from the incoming Government”.

He added: “We do recognise that a model based on potentially establishing a separate police force — distinct from An Garda Síochána — will bring its own set of challenges, and may even result in a significant increase to the workload of an already stretched garda resource, with transport police having to hand over any detained offender to gardaí for processing.

“I recall the stark words of the then taoiseach Micheál Martin during his opening address to our biennial conference in October 2022, when he stated there were no plans on the horizon for establishing a dedicated police force for public transport.

“However, thanks to the unwavering dedication of our frontline members, we have succeeded in bringing this critical issue to the forefront of legislative agendas. 

“They deserve our deepest gratitude for their commitment and resolve in advocating for safer public transport.”