A Cork restaurant owner says restaurants don't want to be forced to pay addition rates - just with a different name.
Restaurants must pay a 125 euro per outdoor table, license fee - to be allowed to seat customers outside.
This licence fee was waived last year by National Government in a move to accommodate the outdoor economy in the wake of Covid restrictions on indoor dining.
The Restaurant's Association of Ireland is calling for an extension of that waiver as businesses gradually get back on their feet.
The Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien is said to be considering the measure
Cork City Council says it's aware of the Government review on the 2022 charges and is awaiting the outcome of the process.
Claire Nash of Nash-19 on Princes says restaurants are afraid that National Government will use the outdoor-table licence-fee, like rates, to fund local government instead of the money from coming from the central coffer.
Speaking to RedFM News, Claire says restaurants are willing to pay a fee but not if they become rates by another name:
"You know, we've all signed up to the outdoor dining licence. And with the outdoor dining, comes a fee of €125 per table. It's a scenario for years, which we wanted to have on Princes Street and we have the pagodas, which cover the street. So our street suits outdoor dining, and we're all very willing to pay for it. Now the question is, when do we start paying first, and I think the concern of us all is that this is another Rate that we will have to pay, and when I worked it out last night, it would literally increase my rates by 12.5% to 13%".
