Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

I do not have figures on how many of the industry players have passed on the reductions. They are required to pass it on in law in the sense that the rate is not 13.5% anymore - it is 9% - but one cannot stop them increasing their prices by 4.5% to make up the difference. There are many factors involved in price. Many say, correctly, that energy prices have gone up significantly and had it not been for this measure they would have had to increase their prices but instead they have frozen them. I am happy that the Irish Hotels Federation and the Restaurants Association of Ireland have called on their members to pass on the VAT reduction to consumers. When I travel around the country, pretty much every hotel I stay in has a little sign from the Irish Hotels Federation saying it has passed on the VAT reduction. I am not sure whether that is there for my benefit.

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