“We need to get moving on it ” – Fianna Fáil backs tourist tax for Dublin

Fianna Fáil councillors, TDs and Senators have backed the idea of Dublin introducing a new tourist tax.

Newly-elected Lord Mayor of Dublin Daryl Barron, TD Paul McAuliffe and Senator Mary Fitzpatrick are among the Fianna Fáil politicians who have backed the plan, with the aim of raising revenue for Dublin City Council’s coffers.

At present, Dublin is one of few European cities to charge tourists a levy for their stay; such measures are commonplace across most European cities.

McAuliffe said, “we need to get moving on it.”

“If introduced, this levy would provide millions in additional funding for the budget of the city and county’s four local authorities,” he explained, and he recently received the backing of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party for the idea.

“This legislation would empower local authorities to make the decision to impose a levy and it could provide for funding in areas that are frequented daily by tourists on excursions from the city centre,” he said.

“The levy would be ring-fenced for the revitalisation of Dublin and the amenities used by residents and visitors,” he explained

“It would offer a much-needed funding boost at a time of rapid expansion in our capital and would support local authorities’ investment in the public realm. It would also bring Dublin in line with many capital cities of our European neighbours.” 

Speaking in the Seanad, Senator Fitzpatrick said it was a matter of trusting and backing local authorities.

“City and county councillors are really the public representatives closest to the people who live in their local authority areas; we believe they should be trusted with greater powers and responsibility in terms of their own financial autonomy.”

“Ireland has a very centralised government system and we are one of the most centralised in Europe when it comes to local government funding. We all know that if we really believe in local democracy, we must believe in giving powers to local authorities and the tools to actually deliver for their communities,” she said.

The Fianna Fáil Senator said, “local authorities play a critical role in maintaining the public realm, the street cleaning, the public lighting and in supporting their communities.”

“These are communities that are living in areas that have very high tourist traffic, who get the value of that tourist traffic but also the additional wear and tear that goes with it.

She said that local representatives “do their best,” but they can only do so much without financial backing.

“It is essential to acknowledge the concerns the local authority members have been raising and their demand and ask for powers to introduce, potentially, a visitor accommodation tax,” she said.

Fitzpatrick said it should be left up to local authorities about how to best spend the windfall, but pointed to a few areas that local authorities would like to improve.

“I believe, and I think the local authority members would agree that any revenues that are raised must be ring-fenced for the public domain. They must be ring-fenced for additional street cleaning, additional public space maintenance, additional public lighting and additional amenities for the people living in the area but also those visiting the area. That will be a matter for the local authority members to determine,” she said.

“It is now time for the government to trust the local authority members that their demand is real and that it is needed,” the Dublin Senator said.

Sinn Féin Senator Chris Andrews said he backed the idea, but with some reservations.

“The proposed levy should not target those who are travelling within the country and those who are not tourists, in particular people attending hospital visits, such as a person up from Kerry visiting the children’s hospital,” he explained.

“If they are staying in a hotel, they should not have to pay that tax. It should only apply to those with a residency outside of Ireland to ensure Irish people are not penalised for travelling for treatment and to encourage staycations.”

Veteran conservative Senator Michael McDowell said he was opposed to the levy on principle.

“We are supposed to believe that tourists are somehow freeloading in Dublin, a place where hotel prices are already massive. Do we want to have this kind of additional charge made to create a fund which, has to be ring-fenced? I do not believe in this ring-fenced nonsense,” he remarked.

The independent Senator said “the real kernel of the problem with local government is that we do not have local democracy. Rather, we have local administration.”

“Councillors are, in fact, not really in charge of the activities of Dublin City Council. Unless and until we radically change our local democracy laws, measures such as this to create additional revenue streams are unjustified and counterproductive and proceed on the basis of the untrue assertion that tourists do not contribute to the local economy on which Dublin City Council depends.