The Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) has said that government action is needed to protect the interests of restaurateurs whose landlords are attempting to force them to pay full rent while they are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the RAI, over two thirds of leased premises that it surveyed have not been able to get flexibility from their landlords, and, consequently, the RAI wants the government to provide rental supports.
"The New Challenge"
The Irish Times quotes RAI chief executive Adrian Cummins as saying, "Rents are the new challenge. Measures to protect restaurateurs from commercial landlords need to be put in place."
Cummins reached out to justice minister Charlie Flanagan to ask for government intervention. Flanagan told Cummins that he will not seek to alter landlord and tenant law to provide a solution such as enforcing rental holidays or requiring rent-free periods because such an action would be fraught with constitutional complications.
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