Hoteliers outraged at extra power levy

THE Irish Hotels Federation said it rejects as outrageous the decision by the Commission on Energy Regulation to impose an additional levy on electricity customers from October 1.

The IHF said it wants the Government to intervene to overturn the decision, which it said could result in additional costs of up to €7,000 a year being imposed on individual hotels — many of which are in survival mode.

Paul Gallagher, president of the IHF said: “Our members are outraged by the commission’s decision to impose an additional levy at a time when businesses are facing perilous economic conditions and struggling to survive. This decision is short-sighted in the extreme and shows an astonishing disregard for the economic realities faced by businesses on the ground.

“We are calling on Minister Eamon Ryan to personally intervene and defer the levies as there is currently no capacity for businesses to absorb additional costs.”