Hopes for abolishment of street furniture fees

A Sligo Councillor has urged the government to completely abolish fees for hospitality businesses that are providing outdoor dining areas on public streets. Street dining fees, which charge restaurants €125 per table, were removed during the pandemic when indoor dining was banned in order to curb the spread of the virus.Regulations waiving the fees were introduced in 2021 and as result more Irish dining businesses have opted into purchasing street furniture with the funding which otherwise would have been collected by local councils.Sligo Fianna Fail Councillor, Tom MacSharry says this is a vital cost-saving measure for local businesses.He has urged the government to end the uncertainly surrounding it's reintroduction in the future and abolish it for good