Water restrictions 'an absolute catastrophe' say Dublin restaurateurs

Restaurant owners in Dublin are appealing to Dublin City Council to lift water restrictions that will be imposed on businesses tomorrow and Friday.

Restaurateurs were handed out leaflets this morning saying that water would be shut down for six hours from 9am tomorrow morning.

The Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) says its members were given no warning or explanation for the measure.

"Notices were handed out by personnel of Dublin City Council to restaurateurs this morning, and they were told that water would be cut off tomorrow" said RAI chief executive Adrian Cummins.

"The emergency helpline has nobody manning it at the moment, and this is an absolute catastrophe for our industry in the middle of a tourism season.

"I think we're going back to a third-world country here in Dublin."