Restaurants plan to charge €1 for tap water if commercial water rates are increased

Plans by the restaurant industry to hit diners with a €1 charge for tap water if commercial water rates are increased have been criticised by Tourism Minister Paschal Donohoe.

The Fine Gael minister said he was against the proposals which restaurant representatives say they have no choice but to impose if their businesses face extra costs.

The changes could see some sole diners next summer slapped with a €1 charge for just a glass of tap water.

Restaurants’ Association of Ireland CEO Adrian Cummins said: “Water charges should be going down, not up. If consumers get behind us [and object to rates increasing], it might stop. If not, as night follows day, someone has to pay. And it will be passed to the consumer.”

Mr Cummins confirmed that restaurant owners were contemplating charging a table €1 for tap water, whether it was a sole customer or an entire group. Rate increases are due to kick in next May.

However, Mr Donohoe said: “I’m absolutely against that happening. Our restaurants know better than anybody else that we need to do is to continue to deliver good value for money, for our people who are eating in there, regardless of whether they are tourists or not.

“Ireland has made great progress now in recent years in regaining our perception for being good value to come to Ireland, to eat out here and enjoy yourself.

“We cannot be complacent at all about maintaining that reputation.”