Hotels Federation warns of imminent job cuts

More than 700 of the country's hotels say they will be forced to further reduce jobs this year.

The Irish Hotels Federation has said a combination of excess capacity, falling demand, falling room rates and the collapse of the banking industry has "brought the hotel sector to its knees".

The IHF has called on the Minister for the Environment John Gormley and local authorities to reduce rates which it describes as the biggest single cost for hoteliers and guesthouse owners.

The country's 900 hotels currently pay €90m a year to local authorities in rates.