Government scrapping outdoor dining fees for rest of 2025

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne today signalled that he will be seeking to waive street furniture licence fees for tables and chairs associated with outdoor dining for the remainder of 2025.

The draft Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2025, which are due to come before the Joint Oireachtas Committee shortly, will be introduced to support businesses such as hotels, restaurants, public houses or other establishments where food is sold for consumption on the premises.

Minister Browne emphasised:

“This is a pro-business and a pro-tourism Government and I want to give small businesses and the hospitality sector every bit of help we can to deal with costs, build their businesses and continue to create employment. That is why I intend to waive the outdoor furniture licence fee for 2025. Saving businesses up to €125 a table, this is a constructive and helpful step to help our local businesses thrive.

“This waiver will require regulations to pass through both Houses of the Oireachtas so I have asked my Department to commence this process immediately with the intention that the waiver will be in place in time for summer and the hopefully good weather for outdoor dining.”

Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, section 254 of the Act provides for a street furniture licensing system for prescribed appliances and structures, placed on, above, under or along a public road, including footpaths. Section 246 of the Act provides that the Minister can make Regulations providing for prescribed fees to be paid to planning authorities in relation to applications for grants of licences under s254 of the Act. The fee for a licence for tables and chairs is currently set at €125 per table per year and this fee is what the Minister intends to waive for the remainder of 2025.