STREET FURNITURE FEES are to be waived for yet another year, with Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien due to sign off on regulations next week. 

During the pandemic, the Government moved to temporarily remove fees charging restaurants €125 per table for street dining.

At the time, indoor dining was banned, with outdoor dining only permitted.

As a result, businesses had the added expense of acquiring street furniture which would incur costs of charges to be paid to local councils.

With the tourism and hospitality industry on the floor, a ‘zero fee’ street furniture licence was rolled out. 

This is the third year the annual fee of €125 per table has been waived by the Government, in what those in the sector will see as a boost to business heading into the busy summer months. 

Businesses still have to apply to the council for a street furniture licence.

With many businesses retaining their outdoor dining offering, despite the pandemic being over, it is understood the decision has been made to waive the fees again. 

The minister will be bringing the regulations for the fee exemption for street furniture to an Oireachtas Committee today along with similar exemptions for bus stop infrastructure and new reverse vending machines, a new initiative to let people return bottles and cans.