Street furniture fees to be waived for remainder of 2024

Local Government Minister Darragh O'Brien says the move would support the hospitality industry to the tune of €125 per table

Outdoor tables and chairs on Princes Street in Cork city. File Picture: Michael O'Sullivan /OSM PHOTO

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien announced he is seeking to waive street furniture licence fees for tables and chairs associated with outdoor dining for the remainder of 2024.

Mr O'Brien said that the move would support the hospitality industry to the tune of €125 per table.

“Despite the unpredictable weather, many businesses have retained their outdoor dining offering and we can see outdoor dining thriving in some areas.

“With a saving of approximately €125 per table we are removing a financial burden which can place additional pressure on a small café or restaurant. I am very glad to extend the provisions of these regulations for 2024.”

Consumer rights

Meanwhile, Cabinet has agreed to transpose an EU directive which allows consumers to seek collective redress or remedy for an alleged infringement of their consumer rights by traders. The Representative Actions Directive is the first legislation of its type in Ireland. It allows for an organisation that has been designated as Qualified Entity (QE) to take an action before the High Court to injunct traders or seek redress.

Fair Deal Scheme

More family members will be able to be considered eligible to avail of the Fair Deal scheme under a law agreed by the Government on Tuesday.

Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, and Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler, have received Government approval to publish the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No.2) Bill 2024 which will give new enforcement powers to the Chief Inspector of Social Services, including the power to issue compliance notices and will provide a new function for the Chief Inspector to collect, share and publish key operational data in relation to nursing homes.

Under amendments to the Fair Deal Scheme, more family members will be eligible to be considered as a ‘family successor’ to a family farm or business assets under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS). The bill will extend the definition of those eligible to be considered as a ‘family successor’ to a family farm or business assets to include cousins, great-nephews, great-nieces, and great-grandchildren.

Under the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (NHSS) (Amendment) Act 2021, contributions from farm and business assets can be capped after three years in care, as long as the family successor that is appointed will continue to run the asset for a period of time.

The new amendments to the Health Act 2007 are in response to several key recommendations in the COVID-19 Nursing Home Expert Panel Report, which called for the enhancement and modernisation of powers and requirements around nursing homes and the establishment of mandatory reporting to HIQA of key operational data by nursing homes.