‘Tsunami’ of costs faced by businesses threatening to ‘hollow out’ towns

People from the hospitality and retail sectors protest outside Leinster House, Dublin, to highlight the high costs facing small and medium-sized businesses. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

Businesses need more support from government to deal with a “tsunami” of costs or the main streets of Irish towns will be left “hollowed out”, a protest heard.

The owners of restaurants, cafes and pubs, supported by groups such as ISME, the hairdressers’ association and the childcare sector, marched past the Department of Finance to Leinster House on Tuesday over the lack of support offered to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Budget 2025.