Andrew Carey
LIMERICK restaurateurs are to meet this week to discuss and take aim at the issues in the hospitality industry that affect businesses from week to week.
This Wednesday September 16, restaurant owners, managers and leading figures from Limerick’s food industry attached to the Restaurant Association of Ireland will meet at The Savoy Hotel from 10am where various topics, current issues and training programmes relevant to the restaurant and hospitality industry will be discussed at the meeting.
The Governments plans to introduce calorie information on menus nationwide will be discussed. There has been widespread criticism of this proposal for many reasons. Among other topics covered will be Budget 2016 and the key issues in the upcoming Budget that affect the restaurant industry;
- The Proposed Increase in the Minimum Wage & PRSI Measures.
- Maintaining the 9% Tourism VAT Rate.
- Excise Duty.
Information will also be given on upcoming Training Courses for restaurants. The RAI are encouraging chefs and aspiring chefs to attend the relevant courses. The shortage of chefs has now reached crisis levels in Ireland and threatens the hospitality industry. Among the applicants submitted for chef positions, many are deemed not to be appropriately qualified. Chief Executive Adrian Cummins commented on the crisis, ““We want to be able to market Ireland as a centre of food excellence, a true culinary experience with world-class chefs leading the way. Instead, we are finding ourselves in a position where we have a severe shortage of chefs in Ireland which is now threatening growth and expansion in the restaurant sector.”
Other issues to be discussed at the meeting include new member benefits and services, New Companies Act – Employment Law Update and much more.
Registration will take place at 9.45am sharp.
