Galway City Councillor Ollie Crowe has demanded action on upward only rent contracts which he says are stifling business in the city centre.

The Fianna Fáil Councillor says the news that the popular Cava Restaurant on Dominic Street is set to close in a dispute over its lease is further evidence of the complete failure to tackle unacceptably high business costs in urban areas.

"The impending closure of Cava Restaurant is very sad news not just for its staff and customers, but also for vibrancy of Galway city centre. And unfortunately, this story is all too familiar in our city, with so many shops, restaurants and pubs at risk of closure due to crippling rents and unacceptably high business costs.

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"I believe the very existence of the Main Street in cities and towns across Ireland is at risk at this time and the Government is completely burying its head in the sand. The failure to tackle upward only rent contracts is just another broken promise from Fine Gael. This promise was a corner stone of the Fine Gael election manifesto but was quickly forgotten once the party got into power.

"I know from running a business here myself that the challenges posed by crippling commercial rents are very real and are putting local businesses at risk. I am calling on local Fine Gael representatives to address these challenges and ensure that their Government keeps its promise on tackling upward only rents. Galway is a bustling and vibrant city that attracts visitors from far and wide. We must do everything to protect what has taken generations to create."

(CD)