Council urged to waive fees for outdoor dining

Tipperary County Council should follow the example of Limerick and Galway and waive licence fees for outdoor dining and street events, Fine Gael Senator Garret Ahearn has said.

Senator Garret Ahearn has called on Tipperary County Council to support local businesses preparing for a summer of outdoor trading by waiving or reducing the cost of licence fees needed for on-street dining or events.

This comes after Limerick City and County Council announced several new initiatives to support businesses preparing to re-open after many months of being unable to trade.

The initiatives include the waiving of licence fees for outdoor dining and plans to install path build-outs. Galway City Council has also committed to waiving the outdoor dining licence fee for businesses.

Senator Garret Ahearn said: “We are all looking forward to a safe outdoor summer this year. And I’m hugely looking forward to seeing businesses, both across the country and in Tipperary, being able to reopen and to begin serving customers again.”

“There are opportunities around the County for businesses to change how they do business and trade outdoors, waiving these fees incentivises businesses to adapt to the restrictions, while boosting the economy and providing some much needed busyness within our towns.

“I’m delighted to see local authorities doing their bit to make the cost of reopening a bit easier for businesses and outdoor vendors by waiving licence fees for outdoor dining and committing to installing build-outs to increase path capacity for businesses who need the space and the customers.

“I’m calling on my own local authority of Tipperary County Council and all other local authorities in the country to consider doing the same to support businesses and outdoor vendors as we gear up for an outdoor summer.

“The evidence is there that being outdoors is far safer in terms of contracting Covid-19, so we need to continue to build and bolster our outdoor economy to ensure a successful summer for business,” Senator Ahearn concluded.