The Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) has asked the Government to introduce supports to help hospitality operators build accommodation to house staff, and for a separate grants scheme to assist with retrofitting properties.

In a pre-budget submission to the Department of Finance, the IHF is also seeking a reduction in the VAT rate to 9 per cent for food services, an additional €90 million for marketing Ireland abroad, and an “intervention” to scrap the 32 million passenger cap at Dublin Airport. Ciarán Hancock has the details

Guinness parent Diageo is to lodge plans with Kildare County Council to double the capacity of its €200 million brewery in Littleconnell, Co Kildare.