Customers to benefit from lower VAT rate from today

HOTEL rates, restaurant prices and the cost of items such as cinema tickets should all come down from today thanks to the introduction of the new VAT rate.

The rate has been reduced from 13.5% to 9% on a number of goods and services mainly related to hospitality.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny insisted the Government will get tough with any organisation which fails to pass on the reduction to customers.