The restaurant sector is backing Fine Gael's promise to cut the VAT rate for food-led hospitality.

Taoiseach Simon Harris is vowing to reduce it to 11% for hospitality businesses, excluding hotels, if the party is re-elected to Government, while the Social Democrats want to cut the rate to 9%.

The current VAT rate is set at 13.5% for the industry.

Restaurants Association of Ireland Chief Executive Adrian Cummins hopes the parties will deliver on their promises.

“We've been campaigning for this for a long time,” he said.

“Unfortunately, it will be too late for many, many businesses that have gone to the wall, but at least it's on the table, it's being discussed, and hopefully it will be delivered if and when political parties get back into power.”

The industry had previously pushed for this reduction to be included in the Budget, however the Government opted against the change at the time.