436. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to extend the current waiver on the street furniture charge, which is due to expire at the end of September 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47204/26]

The hospitality and restaurant sector, and indeed the wider tourism sector, suffered the brunt of the measures to manage the Covid-19 pandemic in recent years and the ongoing impacts of cost inflation. The Government is committed to providing support to assist these sectors, where appropriate, and these regulations date back to the measures first introduced in 2021. The current Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2025 (S.I. 367 of 2025) which were signed in July 2025 act as a continued support for the hospitality and tourism sector in the current challenging economic climate facing that sector, while also facilitating increased vibrancy and commercial activity in urban areas.

This is the fifth year in which the Government has brought these regulations forward to assist the hospitality sector by reducing the cost of maintaining outdoor dining in public spaces. As a result, there is currently no fee for awnings, canopies and heaters that are used in conjunction with the tables and chairs.

These Regulations continue to amend the fees chargeable for street furniture licences under section 254 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended ‘the Act’, and Schedule 12, Part 1 of the associated Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, in order to assist in reducing the cost burden for hotels, restaurants, public houses and other establishments where food is sold for consumption on their premises outdoors. In this regard, the street furniture licence fee for tables and chairs to facilitate the consumption of food outside such premises is waived from €125 per table to €0 per table for the duration. This waived fee arrangement, which extends the waiver originally introduced in 2021, will apply until 30th September 2026. There are no plans to extend the waiver beyond this date.